


When Our Paths Collide

by The_Silverblood_Writer



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Adventure, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fluff, Romance, SO MUCH FLUFF, i don't know how to tag but it's fine, zelink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 13:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21356764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Silverblood_Writer/pseuds/The_Silverblood_Writer
Summary: Fate is often shrouded in mystery, and Princess Zelda longs to choose her own. Thrust onto a path she did not choose, she escapes her arranged marriage and seeks to follow her own aspirations. Yet the hand of fate is so often cruel, and unites her with a mysterious stranger... her betrothed. Destiny has its own plan for the pair... but will their secrets be their downfall? Originally posted on FanFiction.net under the username The Silverblood Writer.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

-=]I[=-

It’s funny how a single word can turn your whole life around. Flip it upside down, warp it into something cold and unfamiliar. We crave security, but a single word is all it takes to strip everything away. Even the simplest of words have power, “yes” and “no” are prime examples. But it was a different word, one normally laced with thoughts of love and happiness, that shattered the life of Hyrule’s young princess.

Married. The word spun itself around Zelda, trapping her in a web of confusion, anxiety, and sorrow. 

She was to be married. Not of her own accord, not by a proposal, but because her father needed… something. He wouldn’t even tell her the real reason, mumbling excuses under his breath and nervously leaving the room. He couldn’t even look at her in the eyes anymore. She was nothing but a pawn, one that was being sacrificed to benefit the other pieces.

Zelda was a member of the royal family, the only heir to Hyrule. Of course, she was a woman, and she wasn’t able to inherit Hyrule’s crown. Naturally the king would have to find her a fitting husband to uphold Hyrule’s long-standing legacy. In truth, she knew that this day would come, but it all happened so sudden, so fast. All because of a single word.

Zelda tried to find it in herself to protest, but would it really change anything? Would her father listen to the quarrels of a seventeen year old girl? Of course not. Nobody would listen to her, accusing her of incompetence, calling her petulant, and only making her appear more immature. Bubbles of anger rose inside of her, threatening to burst. In fear of sacrificing her dignity, Zelda bowed her head and left the throne room, left to wallow in her own regret.

She wandered around the stone halls of Hyrule castle. The suits of armor seemed to leer at her, gleaming in the dim torchlight. The red carpet didn’t help either. It only made it seem like she was walking through a pool of her own blood. 

Was this somehow her fault? Had she really done nothing for the kingdom, and now she was being thrown away as punishment for not living up to her mother’s or her father’s legacy? Or was she really so worthless that her own father was trying to get her off his hands. Nevertheless, the message was clear: she wasn’t wanted in Hyrule anymore.

Zelda wandered into the observatory, making her way up the stone steps. The guards parted to let her through, looking at her with expressions of little interest. Of course, they had wanted their paths. They had willingly undergone the rigorous training, to feel like they had a sense of purpose in life. Yet Zelda had trained to be Hyrule’s perfect little princess every day of her life, and even after all of that, she still felt nothing. 

Zelda wistfully stared out at the rolling plains of Hyrule field. In the distance, the Great Plateau loomed, its huge stone walls remaining unclimbed for centuries. Rumors told that the Temple of Time still existed there, worn away by years of weathering and decay. Despite many attempts to scale the wall, the plateau remained unvisited. Zelda sighed as she looked out at the landscape. If only she was out there, exploring the vast wilderness rather than being bartered off.

She was being overdramatic. The marriage was a necessity, whether she liked it or not. Perhaps she could face it with dignity and honor, rather than some embarrassing outburst. Yet she still felt invisible chains surrounding her, binding her to the fate she did not choose herself. Was she not a master of her own destiny? What gave others the right to choose when she couldn’t?

“Princess Zelda?” A voice jolted Zelda out of her daydreams. Zelda turned around to see a Sheikah woman walking up the steps, an expression of concern crossing her tattooed face.

“Impa. How are you?” Zelda tried to smile nonchalantly, pushing down her sorrows. She didn’t want to trouble others with her own complaints and concerns, especially not Impa. Besides, she was doing her best to maintain her composure, to convince herself that she needed to take this path in order to fulfil her destiny. 

Impa walked over to Zelda, stopping a few feet in front of her. “I’m alright, as usual. The question is, are you?”

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be? Nothing’s the matter,” Zelda said, looking down and tucking a lock of her golden hair behind her ear. Her voice was quaking slightly, but not enough to draw any attention to it.

Impa frowned suspiciously. “Zelda, look me in the eye and say it again. Are you okay?”

Impa had always acted as a mother figure to Zelda, and lying to Impa felt like twisting a knife into her reputation. Zelda tried to meet Impa’s eyes, but couldn’t bring herself to do so. “I’m…” her voice trailed off, carrying any idea of her well being along with it.

“You’re a terrible liar, Princess.” Impa put her hand on Zelda’s shoulder. “It’s the marriage, isn’t it?”

Zelda’s lip quivered as she tried to keep herself from crying. “I… I don’t… yes. It is.”

Impa pulled Zelda into a tight embrace. “It’s alright. Don’t think of this as the end of your life. Think of it as a fresh beginning. A new start, in a new kingdom.”

Zelda broke away from Impa. “I don’t want to live in a new kingdom! There’s still so much in Hyrule that nobody knows about!” She gestured towards the Great Plateau. “Nobody’s been there since the Hero of the Wild! I wanted to be the first. I wanted to chase the dragons during a clear night. I wanted to go sand seal surfing at the crack of dawn. I wanted to ride an ancient guardian. I just wanted to live, Impa. But now, that’s being taken from me.” She stopped to catch her breath, allowing an opening for a few tears to find their way down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Impa. I just can’t live like this. I thought that my eventual marriage would free me, but instead it’s only trapping me more.”

“Zelda, calm down. I can’t change your fate. Hylia knows I want to. But you need to remain strong. Chances are, you love whoever you’re destined to marry. Which is…” 

“I don’t even know his name…” Zelda managed to whisper before sinking into Impa’s arms. “I just know that he’s some sort of swordsman. A man of few words. Nothing that I’ll ever be able to love with.”

With that, Zelda broke into sobs. Impa shooed the guards away and helped Zelda into a chair, gently putting her arms around the girl. 

“It’s okay to feel bad. But you can’t give up the fight. Zelda, you’re stronger than you think. You’ll find your way around this. You’re a fighter, Zelda. Just like your mother.”

Zelda sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the sleeves of her dress. “You… you really think so?”

Impa smiled at her. “I know so.”

Zelda pulled away and sighed. “Thank you, Impa. I must face this situation with a level head. My rising emotions aren’t allowed to get the best of me.”

Impa looked at her with concern. “Zelda, your emotions are perfectly valid. You can’t allow them to control you, but you can’t push them away either. That would destroy you as a person. You don’t want to become an empty husk.”

“So… I’m not required to want to enter this marriage?”

“No. You aren’t required to want anything.”

Zelda’s mind spun with the contradictions, but she simply nodded her head. “Thank you Impa.” She straightened upright, washing away any remnants of tears. “I apologize for my initial outburst.”

“Don’t apologize. And Zelda?”

“Yes?” 

“Don’t let others determine your destiny. Do what you must in order to achieve what you need in life. People can’t control your dreams.”

Zelda looked back at her, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. 

“Thank you, Impa. It means a lot to me.”

-]I[-

Zelda returned to her room, hurrying up the spiral staircase. She opened the large wooden door and shut it behind her, locking it with a small key. She flopped down on her bed, trailing her fingers over the bedclothes. Exhaling softly, she stared at the fire crackling beside her. Her eyes traveled from the dancing flames, to the flowers on the mantle, and finally to the painting on the wall above the fireplace. 

There were six figures, each one painted with painstaking detail. There was Revali, champion of the rito. His blue plumage was obviously the artist’s priority; each feather seemed to glimmer with a luster of its own. Daruk, the champion of the gorons. He was grinning, goron eyes twinkling in the firelight. Mipha, champion of the zora, smiled shyly at her, her beautiful pink fins each full of color and vibrance. Her favorite of the four champions, Urbosa, radiated power, despite being a mere construct of paint. Her intricate gerudo clothing, blue lipstick, and pink hair provided the painting with the most beautiful colors Zelda had seen in a portrait, besides those of Lady Mipha. 

There were two other figures in their own photographs. The first was Link, the Hero of the Wild. His steely expression and rigid figure gave him an apathetic looking state, but his blue eyes danced with happiness, love, and mischief. Zelda recognized the tunic he wore, a blue sort of thing with a sword like pattern on the front. Next to him was Queen Zelda, christened the Princess of Light after the battle with Calamity Ganon. Her flowing blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and blue dress made her look absolutely regal, powerful, and happy. 

Everything that Zelda was not. 

But as Impa said, her emotions were swallowing her up again. She gazed at the champions, gazed at the greatest heroes and heroines Hyrule had ever seen, and thought back to the conversation she’d had before.

She was the master of her own fate. And she would make sure that no one would interfere with that. 

After an hour of thinking, refining, and nearly giving up, an idea suddenly struck Zelda. Grabbing a quill and inkwell, she sat down at her desk and wrote a hasty letter to Lon Lon Ranch. After scrawling out a message, she brought it to her guard. 

“Get this to Malon of Lon Lon Ranch. It’s urgent, so send your fastest courier. It regards the health of my horse, Frost. She hurt her leg today and I want to ensure she’s alright.” Zelda smiled cheerfully, doing her best to mask her sweating palms and racing heart. 

The guard nodded and took the letter, nodding his respects to her as he left. Zelda shut the door again and waited, picking up a novel titled Hyrule Warriors. 

A few hours passed. A few long, painstaking hours, each moment filled with a growing sense of dread and excitement. Zelda couldn’t even focus on her book as she nervously glanced out the window at the sinking sun, waiting for the return letter. 

A knock at her door startled her, causing her to jump and drop her book. Embarrassed by her own carelessness, Zelda called out “who is it?” to whoever was standing outside her door

“Princess Zelda, Malon is here to look after your horse.”

Zelda smiled, not a smile of relief or joy, but a shrewd smile of victory. “Send her in.”

A young woman, around her age, entered the room. Her hazel eyes nervously scanned the room, and she twirled a lock of brown hair around her finger. She looked a bit... timid to be in Zelda’s presence, but relaxed when she saw the princess was still in her pajamas, reading a book on her messy bed.

“Your Highness,” said Malon, dipping into a curtsey.

“Oh, do stand up. I don’t like being treated in such a high place when I’m actually the same as everyone else around here.” 

Malon rose, tucking her hair shyly behind her pointed Hylian ears. “I’m here for your horse, ma’am. And I also fulfilled the other part of your request, although I don’t quite understand why you need-”

“Hush! Keep your voice down.” Zelda glanced at her guards, dropping her tone to a mere whisper. “I don’t want them to know about it. Here, take this for your trouble in keeping my secret.” frantically, Zelda fumbled around her desk, finally picking up a silver necklace with an amethyst in the middle. 

Eyes wide, Malon shook her head. “I don’t need to be bought, Majesty. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“As a present then. I have no use for another piece of jewelry, and you traveled all the way here to assist me.” Zelda pushed it towards her. “Please, take it.”

Malon hesitantly reached out her hand, finally taking the necklace. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Zelda smiled at her. “Now, about my horse…”

-]I[-

Frost had twisted her ankle, but was otherwise fine. Zelda thanked Malon again and went back to her room to prepare for dinner. After the rancher had been sent on her way, Zelda quickly changed into fancier dinner clothes, preparing for whatever borish conversation surely awaited her.

She ate her stew in silence as her father conferred with the nobles. Strangely enough, nobody was bringing up her arranged marriage. Perhaps it was for the best. It was still a... delicate subject. After dinner, she went straight up to her room, rather than stopping by the library or the shrine to Hylia in the depths of the castle. A rather odd behavior for her, but her father didn’t seem to notice or care.

In her room, Zelda opened up the package Malon had brought. Inside was one of Malon’s outfits- a simple white dress with a purple skirt. Wordlessly, Zelda slipped it over her shoulders, allowing her gown to collapse at the ground and pool at her feet. It was outrageously comfortable compared to her formal attire she was forced to wear around the castle. 

Zelda reached a hand over to her desk. She was trembling slightly, but this wasn’t out of fear… she was excited. Reaching into a drawer, Zelda pulled out a pair of scissors. She slowly walked over to the mirror, each footstep clattering about the empty chamber. She took one final glance at herself in her mirror, taking in the last glimpse of the woman she used to be. She then took the scissors and held her breath, snipping off her golden curls until her hair was suspended just above her shoulders. Looking in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. She looked like a young girl from the village, standing in the chambers of some great authority figure. Nothing like her previous self. But then again, that was the point.

Zelda walked over to the champion’s portrait one last time. It really was beautiful, and the champions seemed to be supporting her in their immortalized state. She also gazed at the solo painting of her ancestor, the Princess of Light. She was smiling at Zelda, encouraging her to chase her destiny, her dreams. In the fading light, the portrait looked so real, especially the device clutched in the hands of the painting.

Except, Zelda realized, that doesn’t look painted at all. Examining it closer, the painting had been framed around a real object. She traced her finger over the item. It wasn’t canvas, that was certain. It seemed to be some sort of stone material, but she hadn’t ever seen a material like this in Hyrule before.

The device glowed with a simple design: an eye with a teardrop. The same eye adorned much of the architecture in Kakariko village, and was painted on the forehead of the members of the sheikah tribe. The eye of the sheikah. And the device... a sheikah slate, if she remembered correctly. 

If she really was going to leave the castle, an ancient Sheikah device wouldn’t be much harm. Better to leave with something more than the clothes on her back. So Zelda pried the Sheikah slate from the wall and turned it on. 

It was interesting enough, a map of Hyrule was displayed on the screen. But Zelda didn’t have the time to play with this new object. She had to act quickly, before her father caught on to her strange behavior.

Walking over to her window, she opened it and gazed out at the moon. Strangely enough, it was a reddish color, casting beams of light onto the clouds and making the night sky appear to be bleeding. But that hardly mattered. Astronomy was always quite dull, and she had more pressing issues to attend to.

The climb down was painstaking. Asking for a length of rope was far too suspicious, and she had to make do with nothing but her own strength. Her fingers grasping at tiny ledges between the bricks of her tower, Zelda’s arms ached with every movement. After what seemed like an eternity, Zelda touched down onto the ground outside her window. She slowly made her way towards the front gate, the crest of Hyrule glinted eerily in the strange moonlight. 

This was her last chance to go back. She could turn around now and return to her life, be married, and live out the rest of her days comfortably. 

“Royalty is overrated,” muttered Zelda, pushing open the gate. With nothing but her device and wits, she slipped off into the crimson night.

-=]I[=-


	2. Chapter 2

-=]I[=-

Zelda trudged on for what seemed like hours, the crimson light fading gradually fading from the sky after midnight passed. She arrived at the stable, and politely asked if she could have her horse, Frost. 

“That horse belongs to the Princess, miss. I don’t know what you’re playing at, but we know our horses.” Zelda was pleased her disguise was so effective, but wished to have her mount all the same.

Well, if the stablehands didn’t recognize her, she had a good chance at continuing to travel undetected. Still, nothing could mask the growing pit of anxiety in her stomach… or perhaps she was just hungry.

The road ahead of her was long, and it would be a chore to get through without a horse. Admittedly, Zelda hadn’t walked much outside the castle, but if she could attend her father’s galas wearing heels, she could make it to the Bridge and camp under one of the towers. Already the sun was rising. Zelda probably only had a couple of hours until the guards would become suspicious, find her note, and send a search party after her. 

Zelda was so lost in her own thoughts, dreading the moment the knights caught up to her, that she didn’t notice a stranger in front of her. She ended up bumping right into him, stumbling back and nearly falling into the dirt.

“I-I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t mean…”

“Hm? Oh, it’s fine. Hardly saw you there… I’m a bit preoccupied. I… well, I got lost. Perhaps you can help me find my way?” asked the man, smiling at her reassuringly. 

“Oh! Of course I can. I know these lands quite well. Where are you trying to go, exactly?” Zelda smiled at him warmly. He seemed nice enough, but something in the back of her mind screamed at her to run. 

The man sighed. “Gerudo desert, if you can believe it. My organization wanted to meet there, for traditions sake. I simply have no idea where to go, and my horse seems to have run off with all of my food.”

Zelda smiled sympathetically. “Well, Gerudo desert is southwest of here. See those mountains? That’s the Gerudo highlands. Follow the path in that direction, and it will take you to the desert canyon. I think there’s a stable in there, so you can get more food and rest.”

The man nodded. “Thank you, my dear. You look familiar, by the way. Almost like… no, that can’t be.” He stared at her, scrutinizing her face and figure. 

Zelda felt her heart pounding. “I guess I just have one of those faces.” She smiled nervously, turning away a bit too quickly to play it off as normal behavior. 

The man gave a small grunt of confirmation, then reached out to shake her hand. Zelda accepted, extending her own. 

Something wasn’t right. Zelda pulled her hand away as quickly as she could, but his reflexes were faster than her own. Without warning, the man grabbed her wrist and wrenched her hand so he could see the back of it. 

“Well, well, well. The royal birthmark. I take it I’m meeting the Princess.” A sick smile crossed his face, and Zelda could see insanity dancing in his eyes. 

Zelda struggled. “Unhand me. My guards are right behind me. I’d release me if you want to live.”

The man chuckled. “I think you’re lying, Princess. Running around in disguise? Doesn’t seem like you would want an escort.” 

Red smoke filled the air, and Zelda found herself coughing and gagging. When she looked back at the man, he was dressed in a white mask, with an upside-down Sheikah eye on the front. The symbol of the Yiga clan.

Something wasn’t right in the wood. The animals felt it, they had all retreated back to their dens. But why? The lone hunter furrowed his brow, drawing his weapon.

The Yiga… that had died years ago, along with Ganon. But what were they doing...

“Any last words, Princess? Or do you just want to scream, and make it all the more satisfying for me?” The Yiga Clan member raised his weapon: an evil-looking sickle stained with something that looked suspiciously like blood.

Red smoke flowed through the trees like a beacon. The hunter smirked. All too easy. With expert movement, he slipped through the trees, undetected by any living creatures within the forest’s canopy.

If she was going to die, she wasn’t going to give him pleasure in it. Zelda kicked him in the stomach, causing him to release her briefly. She sprinted into the woods, hoping to lose him. 

“Nice try.” Somehow, he’d gotten in front of her. Did he teleport? Zelda turned to run the other way, but he just chuckled.

There were two of them: a man and a woman. She was being chased. She wouldn’t make it very far on her own… they had too many tricks up their sleeves. But the hunter had the advantage of surprise… 

“You can’t outrun me. Accept your fate, Princess.”

Zelda was trapped. She had nowhere else to turn, nobody was there to save her. The best weapon near her was a tree branch, and she wouldn’t make it in time anyway. She looked the Yiga Clan member right in the huge, red eye. She wouldn’t scream. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. Zelda caught her breath, prepared for the killing blow.

The arrow was nocked, the deadly tip pointing towards his target. Branches obstructed an otherwise perfect shot. He had to wait. The hunter couldn’t afford a mistake. Surprise was his only advantage.

“We are… alone, however. So I think I might play with you before I kill you. You like the sound of that?” Zelda’s lip quivered as he said this, but she did her best to maintain composure. She wouldn’t die screaming for help. That wasn’t how she wanted to die. “Awww, you’re cute when you’re frightened for your life. I’ll be sure to remember that expression.”

He moved towards Zelda, pinning her to a tree. Drawing with his blade, he traced her throat with his sickle, causing a tiny drop of blood to appear. Zelda whimpered, seemingly helpless to fight him off.

Damn. He was moving away from the zone. A few steps back. If she managed to push him backwards, even by a few feet, that would be enough.

As the assassin laughed and advanced, Zelda’s hands found the jagged end of a broken branch. She clutched her fingers around it, finally gaining a firm grasp. She plunged the splintered edge into the assassin’s thigh, causing him to roar in agony. Seizing the opportunity, Zelda threw him off of her, gasping in horror as the smell of blood penetrated the forest air. 

Well, she was resourceful. And now, now he had the perfect shot. His fingers slowly slid off the bowstring, the arrow quivering as it prepared for its flight. 

“You bitch!” The assassin tried to staunch the flow of blood pouring out of his leg, still clutching his sickle in his free hand. “You’re going to die for that.”

There was no point in running anymore. Zelda knew that she was trapped, but at least she’d drawn blood. At least she wasn’t going to die in shame. The assassin advanced towards her, his blade raised mercilessly. 

The arrow flew from his fingertips, soaring through the air at an alarming speed.

Without any sort of warning, the swish of a blade broke the silence in the forest. Warm blood coated Zelda’s clothes as she screamed out of shock. The Yiga Clan assassin dropped his sickle and fell to the floor, dead. An arrow stuck out of his throat, coated in the assassin’s blood.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” A voice was trying to reach Zelda through the fog of shock and confusion. She nodded dumbly, still not understanding what was going on. She could barely make out any words, and the scent of death had already begun to fill the clearing.

“Hey, you’re in shock right now. Do you need to sit down? Here, take a few deep breaths.”

Zelda felt a hand on her back, guiding her onto the forest floor. With a few rattling breaths, the world shifted into focus, out of the haze she was trapped in.

“What… what happened?” She managed to get out.

“You were being attacked by a member of the Yiga Clan. I killed him.”

Zelda finally looked up. She was met by a young man, with scruffy blonde hair and a somewhat scrawny build. Meeting his eyes, she found herself looking into deep blue pools, the same color as a clear sky or as Lake Hylia on a sunny day. She smiled at this welcoming sight, relieved to finally be in friendly company once again

“Thank you. I owe you my life.”

“Don’t mention it. The more of the bastards I can kill, the better.”

Zelda arched an eyebrow. “You’re hunting them, then?”

Her rescuer smiled slightly. “The Yiga, Lynels, corrupted guardians, you name it. I’m trying to rid Hyrule of it. Of course, there are some who want me doing… other things. Less useful things.”

“Such as..?”

“Eh, they want me to be some sort of watchdog who isn’t allowed to choose his own path in love or life.”

“I know exactly how you feel,” Zelda said, looking back down at the ground. Who knew that she and this stranger had so much in common regarding their destinies. Or rather, lack thereof.

“Link.”

Zelda glanced back up at him. “Hmm?”

“My name. It’s Link. And you are..?”

“I’m…” Zelda thought for a minute. If he knew her name, her identity, he’d give her right back to her father. “I’m Lana.” A name from a book. If he had ever read it, he’d see right through her. She waited with baited breath for his reaction.

“Lana. Huh. I’ve seen that name before. She was the only weirder of the Triforce of Power not to get corrupted, or so it says in Hyrule Warriors. Seems like a pretty powerful name.”

Zelda laughed hollowly. “I’m not powerful in the slightest. I’ve lived most of my life sheltered, and just now you had to rescue me from him.” She gestured to the Yiga Clan member. “Not to mention you’re named Link. After the reincarnated Hero of Legend.”

Link smiled at her in his odd, half smiling manner. “You know, part of being strong is knowing when to ask for help. Refusing to admit your faults is one of the biggest signs of weakness.” 

“Really?”

“Really.” Link reached for his arrow, but pulled his hand away as he noticed a crack in the shaft. “Come on then. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

Zelda was confused. “We?” 

“You’ve got to learn how to defend yourself if you’re journeying alone. I’ll teach you and keep you safe until then.” He started walking off, towards the Great Plateau. “You coming?”

Zelda had two options. The first, run like mad in the other direction. She’s been attacked since today already, and Link had already demonstrated a willingness to kill. On the other hand, he had a point. She wasn’t equipped for travel yet, especially what had happened with the Yiga. 

“Wait for me!” Zelda picked herself off the ground and jogged after Link. 

He was mysterious, somewhat scruffy, and potentially dangerous. But he was her best shot at starting anew. She didn’t have a choice. 

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two for your faces. This is gonna be updating very quickly until around chapter 10, because I haven't written past that point yet...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m switching viewpoints for this chapter! It’s going to start off at Link’s point of view, and it will show a scene inside Hyrule castle, then return to Zelda. Because we need plot development ;)

-=]I[=-

Link led the girl up towards the Plateau. She was small, frail, quite clearly emotionally unstable, and would most likely become annoying. She was also sweet, pure, and the only breath of fresh air in the crumbling world. He hoped that he wouldn’t come to regret helping her, even if it did mean killing another member of the Yiga clan. So long as innocence didn’t become weakness, he’d help her out. For now. 

Stil, something about her seemed… off. For starters, the way she hesitated when she said her name, which was directly from a book. She also didn’t carry herself like a traveler, she was more upright and almost… regal? Not to mention she obviously didn’t come prepared for a journey. The only thing she had was a strange tablet, which seemed to serve no practical purpose. 

She also looked familiar. It was something in her eyes, emerald green and inquisitive. In all honesty, she seemed more like a researcher than an adventurer. He knew he’d seen her before, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. And the Yiga Clan didn’t just attack anyone. Surely she had some significance? Whatever the case, he needed to keep an eye on her. 

The two of them arrived at the base of the Great Plateau. The girl, Lana, stared up the huge stone wall, eyes shining with wonder. 

“You know, I always wanted to go up there. Find someway to climb it, and eventually explore it. But I… never mind.” She looked back down at the ground. “But what are we doing here? I thought that no one could make it up the Plateau?”

Link smiled. “There’s always a way around things, if you try hard enough.”

“But not even the Rito can make it up there? Unless you have wings, I don’t think… what on earth are you doing?!” 

Link had drawn his bow, aiming it skyward. Lana jumped back in alarm. He rolled his eyes. Surely she didn’t think he’d shoot her? Well, it didn’t really matter. He notched an arrow with a red ribbon tied around it and fired it up the Plateau. It sailed out of sight and landed somewhere on top, the sound of it lost in the rushing wind. 

“Just wait a couple minutes. That arrow was a signal. Hopefully it’s seen.”

About five minutes later, a rickety looking rope ladder unfurled over the top of the plateau, cascading to the ground. Link grabbed onto it and began climbing, beckoning for Lana to follow. The two of them climbed carefully to the top of the ladder, and eventually they ended up over the wall. 

Link walked over to a wolf lying lazily on the ground and began stroking his fur. Lana looked a bit confused. 

“Is that… a wolf? Did he let down the ladder? How did he make it to the top in the first place?”

Crap. What was he going to tell her? Oh, this is my wolf, Twilight. I’m pretty sure he comes from a different dimension, he can communicate with me through thoughts, he teleported up here, and he’s invisible to most humans, so I really don’t know why you can see him, but hey, you’re weird already, so you know what? I’m going to end up regretting every decision leading up to this moment. 

A voice sounded in the back of his mind, low and gentle, like a soft growl. Twilight. 

Tell her that I lived up here, we bonded, and I’m your pet. 

Link looked at him quizzically. If there was one thing Twilight hated, it was being called a pet. Something about him being the Hero of Twilight? And pet seemed like a derogatory term to him…. Wow, he’d really spent a bit too much time talking to him. Whatever the case, it was a good enough excuse. He told that to Lana, and that was that. 

Link cleared his throat and stretched out his arms, as though he was presenting the plateau to Lana. “Well, welcome to the Great Plateau. You wanted to explore it? Well, explore away. Meet me by the Sheikah Tower by sundown.” Link returned to stroking Twilight’s fur. Lana, excited, immediately ran off towards the ancient ruins. Link smiled. She was kind of cute, especially in these few moments where she allowed her excitement to shine through. 

-]I[-

“My king? What is troubling you?” Impa walked into the King’s study and bowed. Hyrule’s King was pacing back and forth, a tear hanging off his nose. 

“Impa, what did I say about disturbing me when I am in my private study?”

“You said not to, unless I think it of utmost importance. And I do. If the king is Hyrule is sulking rather than leading his kingdom, we’ll have some larger problems on our hands.” A playful smile danced at the corners of Impa’d lips, but it quickly faded when Impa saw the King’s expression. 

King Rhoam sighed. “Zelda running off… it’s my fault. I didn’t tell her the truth about why she was being married.”

“The truth? Wasn’t the purpose for some trade deal or royal alliance, as arranged marriages usually are?”

“When Zelda was young, she read a story about a princess who was married away as a prize for saving the kingdom. She told me she never wanted that to happen to her. I made a promise that night that I would never force her into marriage, no matter what.”

Impa frowned. “But if it wasn’t for a trade deal, or for an alliance, and you swore to never let that happen, then why? Why did you do it?”

The king picked up a journal and handed it to Impa. She flicked through the pages, her expression darkening with every moment. 

“You… you really think it’s returning, then?”

“Yes. I do. You’ve seen the signs. The Yiga Clan has resurfaced. More monsters have begun to appear. The old Sheikah towers rose once again not a month ago. And of course, you saw the sky last night.”

“The blood moon.” 

King Rhoam looked at Impa. “I thought I could protect her. If she was bound to the best swordsman in the kingdom, she was bound to be alright. Right?”

He broke, another tear spilling down his cheek. “I tried to keep her safe, Impa, but I fear I have just killed her.”

-]I[-

The Plateau was larger than Zelda could have ever imagined, larger than even Hyrule Castle. She spent the first few hours gazing at the scenery, the mountains, forests, plains, and rivers. 

The Temple of Time lay in the exact center of the Plateau. Zelda wandered into it, staring at the ancient architecture. Huge columns and arches, intricate patterns, and towering spires all made the somewhat crumbling temple beautiful. At the center was the shrine to Hylia, identical to the one inside Hyrule Castle. Zelda walked over and respectfully bowed her head, whispering her thanks to the goddess for helping her make it this far. Although unlikely, it seemed as if the shrine was glowing with an otherworldly aura. As if the goddess was with her at this very moment. 

Smiling, Zelda walked out of the Temple of Time. 

She wandered about for a while, gazing at the ancient ruins. She found a deactivated guardian in the center of a labyrinth-like ruin, and for a moment, she stared at it, imagining what it must have been like in its prime. Surely it was a being of immense power, capable of destroying armies on its own. When it was with other guardians… it must have been unstoppable. 

The eye still seemed to gleam at her in the sunlight. Zelda backed away from it. Legend told that Ganon had corrupted them once, and that his machines had walked the land a hundred years later. Ganon was dead, but his influence was not. If the Yiga Clan was back, anything was possible. 

The sun was getting lower. Zelda only had around an hour left to explore for today. She wandered around, unsure where to go. She was about to head back when something caught her eye. 

It looked like a door, embedded in the side of a rise. Ancient Sheikah lettering decorated each bar. Vines had begun to creep up the door, indicating its ancient age. Zelda walked over to it, tracing her hand over the door. It was quite strange, to say the least. And… the marks on it seemed familiar…

Zelda whipped the sheikah slate out of her pocket. The letters on screen matched those of the door. Maybe if she just…

Zelda raised the slate up and pressed it against the doorframe. The device glowed blue, and with a rumble, the door slowly slid open. Dust flew in the air, obstructing whatever was inside. Zelda wandered inside, passing several empty crates and entering a chamber with a strange pool in the center. 

“How did you do that?”

Zelda turned around to find Link in the doorway, arms crossed.

“W-what?”

“The door. I’ve been trying to get it open for ages. So, how did you manage to open it?”

“I used this.” Zelda held up the slate, which suddenly felt heavier in her hand. If he recognized it as a royal artefact, she would have a lot to explain.

Link inspected it. “I see the eye of the Sheikah. Did you get this from Kakariko village? How come I never saw anything like it before?”

“I’ve had it for as long as I can remember.” Technically not a lie, but not the whole truth. Hopefully enough to fool him.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Come on, we’re going to do some training.”

“Training? For what?”

Link drew a sturdy looking broadsword. “We’re going to make you into a warrior.”

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens... wait there's a PLOT?!
> 
> I tried to resist putting Wolf Link in the story, but he's my favorite character, okay? Don't judge me....


	4. Chapter 4

-=]I[=-

Zelda was exhausted. She had been training with Link for hours, and already, the faint pink rays of dawn were illuminating the sky. 

“How much longer must we do this for? I am exhausted.”

Link scowled. “You can rest when you’ve actually learned something. So far, you haven’t been able to land a single blow. Do you really think that the Yiga Clan is going to stand still and allow you to get a free shot? No. Now, back to work.”

Zelda’s entire body was aching, her palms were sweating, and wisps of her hair had plastered themselves onto her face. She had ditched Malon’s dress, and was instead clad in a Hylian tunic, dyed blue to honor the royal colors. Of course, she didn’t tell Link that, only that blue was her favorite color. 

They were sparring, and while Link claimed he was going easy on her, it was clear that he was no normal swordsman. Every motion was executed so perfectly and so effortlessly that she could barely keep track of his movements, much less copy them herself. 

“Link, please. I can’t do this. I’m just not that kind of person. I’m not suited for combat. And I won’t be able to learn anything if I’m too tired to swing my blade.”

Link parried her feeble thrust and pointed the blade at her heart. “You’re dead. Again.”

“Are you even listening to me?!” Zelda exclaimed, throwing her weapon to the ground. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, which were already drooping with exhaustion. Exhausted, she picked up a bow. She’d had a bit more experience with archery than swordplay, but rage coursed through her body, causing her fingers to tremble. She doubted she could hit anything in her current state.

“You aren’t failing this because you’re ill-suited for combat, you’re failing this because you’re frustrated, and upset, and you’re allowing your emotions to best you. Again. You’re a mess, Lana. I don’t know why you’re like this, but your problem isn’t your physical strength, it’s your emotions. You need to ignore them, or better yet, channel them into a perfect thrust.” He demonstrated, driving forward with his blade. 

Link turned his back, slowly walking towards the tower. “We’re done for today. I guess I overestimated you. You aren’t really suited for this sort of thing, after all. I guess I just had my hopes set far too high. After all, what could a frail traveler like you do against me? You’ll just have to find someone to save you again. Shame though, you had potential. I almost thought you-“

THWAP! Zelda let loose an arrow, landing it less than an inch away from Link’s face. He whirled around. 

“Don’t call me weak. You know nothing about me. Nothing.”

Link stared at her, dumbstruck. Then, his surprised expression melted away, replaced by a wide grin. 

“There we go. That’s the kind of spirit I like to see. You didn’t allow your temper to deter you, rather, you channeled it into your own strength. Good job.”

It was Zelda’s turn to be confused. “Good job? I could have killed you…”

“But you didn’t. Instead, you impressed me. We can grab some sleep, but now you’re starting to get the hang of this.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Zelda muttered under her breath, glancing back at Link. He was a bit of an enigma, but he was interesting to spend time with.

His wolf, Twilight, glanced up at her as if to say he’s like this all the time.

The two of them retired, resting on the ground underneath the Sheikah tower. Not the usual luxury Zelda was used to, but she was out, in the wild, with a new friend. While she was further from the castle than she had ever been, this was the first time she really felt at home. 

-]I[-

Zelda usually didn’t dream, but on the few nights she did, it was terrifying. In this dream, she was lying perfectly still, unable to move, or speak,or even breathe. She could only watch with unblinking eyes as a darkness swept over the land, consuming everything in its wake. When it finally reached Hyrule Castle, it stared directly at her with glowing yellow eyes, full of malice and hatred. Finally, it lunged at her, its tusks boring straight through her heart. 

The scene shifted. She wasn’t alone this time, Link was at her side, clutching her hand. Across from them, a dark shape drew a blade made of pure darkness. It launched itself forward, plunging its sword straight through Link’s heart. It turned to face Zelda, and she realized that it had the same face as Link. 

“You can’t save him from himself, no matter how hard you try. I will always be watching.”

The world around her began to flake apart, then shatter like glass completely. The space behind it was dark, and grotesque figures bending in impossible directions moved slowly towards her, reaching toward her, and eventually pulling her into a mass of bodies.

And suddenly, she was falling into a limitless chasm. The world around her slowly darkened, until she couldn’t even see her own hands. She was weak, powerless, and doomed to fall forever. In resignation, she slowly let her eyes flutter shut. 

The problem isn’t your physical strength. It’s your emotions. 

Link’s voice was perfectly clear, almost in her mind. Zelda opened her eyes. She was still alone, but a tiny sliver of light seemed to gleam above her.

Link was right. She wasn’t going to let her fear overcome her. Not this time. She lived her whole life letting her emotions control her. She let her fear go, releasing it into the chasm. Fear was only dragging her down. So was sadness. So was anger. While these emotions were all necessary, she couldn’t let them influence her actions. 

Zelda allowed her eyes to shut again, this time greeting the darkness like an old friend. Slowly, she allowed her rapid breaths to slow, felt her racing heart calm to a normal beat. The emotions that had been poisoning her slowly escaped, and she was left with a newfound calm. It washed over her like a wave. Hesitantly, Zelda opened her eyes.

She wasn’t falling anymore. She was in a beautiful temple. Zelda recognized it as the Temple of Time from before. While it was in much more pristine condition, it was still recognizable. The statue of Hylia had vanished, and a young woman sat it its place. 

“Zelda,” she said, with a warm smile. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Who are you?”

The woman laughed. “I’m known by many names, but most call me Hylia.” 

“Your Grace…” Zelda fell to her knees. “I… why?”

Hylia laughed slightly at her confusion. “Stand up, my dear. Reverence is not something I demand. I simply ask for you to speak with me. I assume you want to know why I’m here?”

Zelda nodded, dumbstruck. 

Hylia’s expression darkened. “I’m here to warn you. A great evil is coming into your world. You must find awaken the spirits of knowledge, courage, and power. They will guide you. But you must hurry. Demise has reawakened, and you cannot defeat him as you are now.”

“I don’t understand. Your Grace, please, I…”

Hylia smiled again. “You will understand. Speak with Link when he wakes up. Hyrule needs you both.”

She began to fade away in a gleam of golden light. “One final thing… help comes from the most unexpected places. There’s more to some creatures than meets the eye.”

With that, Hylia vanished, and Zelda, confused, was left alone in the Temple. 

-]I[-

“Weird dream?” Link glanced at Zelda as she woke up, sweating slightly. 

“How did you know?”

“I had one too,” he said, looking grim. 

“Oh? What about?”

He turned away. “I’d rather not.”

“But maybe I could help decipher it. I wish you would talk to me more. I do want to learn more about you, if you would permit it.”

“No. Now leave me alone. I’m going to find some food for breakfast.”

He strode off, leaving Zelda alone and a bit sad. He wasn’t really one for personal conversation, but she would like to know him more. The mystery that was Link was one she would enjoy unraveling, provided she didn’t expose herself in the process.

Zelda turned to Twilight, who was staring after Link sleepily. “He doesn’t talk about himself much, does he?”

In a surprisingly human-like manner, Twilight shook his head. Actually, the more Zelda looked at Twilight, the stranger he looked. White patterns ran through his fur, grouped around an odd rock in his head. His eyes were as blue as Link’s, and looked different from any wolf she’d seen: the pupils especially looked more like those of a human. This was all ignoring the shackle on his leg. 

Of all the people on Hyrule, she had gotten involved with the strangest one. At least she was getting better at fighting. Maybe these lessons would save her life someday. 

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, so there is a plot. Huh. 
> 
> Twilight wasn't supposed to get a major role in the story, but I changed my mind and you can't stop me. Ha.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first published this, people were crazy about Twilight. Naturally, he's getting attention here. Have fun~

-=]I[=-

“We’re so proud of you, Link.” A twili woman and a Hylian wearing an ornate crown smiled at Twilight. He was no longer bound to his wolf form, and it felt good to stretch his human legs. He smiled at the women, his dearest friend Midna and Princess Zelda.

Midna spoke. “You saved both of our worlds. Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. And now, you’ve gone on to save another.”

“But you must take caution. Your ancestor didn’t survive after his battle with Ganondorf in this plane of existence. Instead, he was slain on the battlefield, allowing Ganon to retain more of his power than the Ganondorf you faced. And… for a brief period of time, he had the triforce.” Zelda’s voice hinted at concern. Link smiled at her reassuringly. He still refrained from speaking too much, but his smile said everything. Don’t worry. I’m not alone. I won’t fail. 

“Link, what you’re doing is so noble. Our magic combined can bring you back to our world, our timeline, but should anything happen to you, we fear we will not be able to fix it.” Zelda looked heartbroken, and Midna refused to meet his eyes. 

“Link, we… we can’t lose you. If you die, I swear I’ll kill you.” Midna tried to sound lighthearted, but she was clearly holding back tears. “Save the world again, you big dummy.”

Twilight woke with a start. It had been so long since he’d seen Midna. Even after the Twilight mirror had been shattered, he had still tried in vain to communicate with her again. Zelda had tried her best to help him, even using her magic to attempt to create a twilight barrier within the castle. And now, over eight years later, while present in another universe entirely, she spoke to him again. 

The last time he helped the new Hero, Zelda had guided him. While it had been dangerous, Twilight had eventually helped defeat the Calamity. Now, after all this time, he had returned. Funny, it had only been a year in his time, yet hundreds had passed in the world of the Wild.

Zelda’s head rested on his flank, yet she bore little resemblance to the Zelda he knew. Her hair was golden and cut short, and the garments she wore were not those of royalty, but those of an adventurer. Did they really share the same blood? Could she have the ability to access the Spirit Realm? Hopefully it would never come to that. Or else… he might have to become more than just a guide. Which was, of course, not allowed by the goddess.   
But if the situation really came to that, would he have a choice?

-]I[-

Hyrule had its share of warriors, but Link could confidently say he was one of the best. Years of training had honed him into a machine, and he had become proficient with a sword, shield, bow, or any weapon her could get his hands on. He had fought off a pack of wolves with nothing but a melon (long story) and he’d defeated lynels single handedly. 

However, if he, Link, proclaimed the greatest warrior in Hyrule, then why did he feel so weak? Had it been because of the dream? He remembered that… thing talking to him. The Hero’s Shade, it had called itself. He knew that he had to venture into the Lost Woods, but then what? The Woods were perilous. Groose had wandered in once, while at the Military Camp, but after coming back, he had never been quite the same.

Not to mention, he had Lana with him. She was kind of adorable, if a little bit emotional. And she clearly wasn’t who she made herself out to be. The device she carried must have something to do with it. After all, it had opened up the mysterious door, and she seemed to value it more than food or water. 

But it wasn’t the device he couldn’t part with. It was Lana herself. Her laugh, the way her emerald eyes sparkled whenever she talked about discovery or adventure, the way she spoke so softly. Not to mention he admired her inner strength. No one had been able to land a blow on him since training, even when by surprise. A spark burned within her, a spark that was ready to set a blazing fire.

But he couldn’t let his feelings get in the way of his destiny. After all, it had been taught at the Knight Academy: Nothing distracts from the mission at hand. And he shouldn't let anyone distract him from his true destiny.

He’d have to leave the Plateau. He had no choice. If he had been told by the Hero’s Shade himself to save Hyrule, how could he refuse? Yet everything seemed so sudden, so strange. Was he really going to let some strange dream influence his path in life? Was he really going to leave Lana so soon?

Link paced back and forth across the plain, agitated. If he had been a playwright, he’d have written a soliloquy about this dilemma. Of course, Link had never been a firm believer in destiny. He had willingly left the castle, left behind all of his friends, to avoid marrying some snobbish princess in need of protecting. Why should he listen to what other people told him to do? Was his own destiny not his own to pursue?

A soft growling interrupted his thoughts. Twilight was staring at him with those mysterious blue eyes. The message was clear. Follow me. 

Twilight led him to the Temple of Time in the center of the Plateau. Link had never been one for religion, and thus avoided the temple as much as possible. Of course, he believed in Hylia and the Golden Goddesses. And denying the existence of Demise was downright impossible, with the constant torment that plagued Hyrule in the form of Ganon. He just felt… out of place. The only religious setting he ever really felt comfort in was the Spring of Courage, and that was all the way in the Faron region.

But if Twilight wanted him to go inside, could he refuse? The wolf was usually smarter than he was, and was the reason he had made it to the Plateau in the first place. 

The Temple was serene, peaceful. A location untouched by the turmoil of the outside world. To most, it would seem comforting. For Link, he only felt more anxious. 

“Hello, Link.” A young woman sat on a bench, looking at the statue to Hylia. “Come, sit down. Put the sword away, I am not here to harm you.”

Link proceeded with caution, taking care to get a good look at the woman before him. Her bangs accentuated her straight blonde hair, which reached some point near her middle back. The dress she wore was pure white, so light it looked almost artificial. A simple crown rested atop her head, and her hands were folded neatly in her lap. Her whole person glowed with a soft golden light. Link immediately sensed that she was not of this world, and fell to his knees.

“Do not kneel, Hero. I asked you to sit, did I not? There is plenty of room here.”

Link took a seat next to her, careful not to stumble into anything.

“You know who I am?” She asked, a faint smile playing across her lips.

Link nodded. In this place, only one explanation was possible. She had to be the goddess Hylia herself.

“I sent a messenger here to remind you of your destiny. You were questioning me, no?”

Link nodded, looking down. “I… I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

“Do not apologize. I should have known better. You are a strong man, are you not? You need more than a simple dream to tell you to go into a mysterious woods and retrieve a blade that’s existence is still speculated. So, here I am. This is one of the only places in this world I can speak to you. The other location lies forgotten, ruined. But it matters not. What matters is that I am able to speak with you, even if I am not-” she reached towards him, but her hand passed though Link’s arm, much like a spirit- “really here.”

She looked at Link’s expression of confusion and laughed slightly. “Don’t worry. Everything will become clear soon. I know it seems I am asking much, but believe me, I have the utmost confidence in you. In you-” Hylia glanced outside, towards the castle in the distance- “and in the Spirit Maiden. Good luck… Link.”

With those parting words, Hylia faded slightly, then entirely. Link was left alone in the empty temple.

-]I[-

The moon was at its peak, a silver crescent illuminating the clouds in the sky. Link made his way back to the camp. Quietly, as to not wake Lana, he carefully gathered his sword, bow, and his shield. He made as if to leave, but Twilight blocked his path, standing between Link and the rope ladder with his teeth slightly bared.

“Oh, come on. Move! I need to get by! I don’t suppose the name ‘Hylia’ means anything to you?”

Still the wolf refused to budge, occasionally glancing back at the camp. It dawned on Link that Twilight was referring to Lana. 

That’s right, dummy. Go talk to her. Believe me, I think we’re going to need her.

“Need her? She couldn’t lift a sword before this week. She’ll only slow us down.”

This shackle hinders my movement, but I do not remove it. Why? Because the consequences of letting go can be worse than the strength you gain from holding on.

“Link?” A new voice sounded. It was clear that Twilight had been playing for time, and that he already knew that Lana was awake. Link shot a glare at the wolf, who smirked at him in a very odd manner. Almost like that of a human. Of course, Link didn’t question it anymore.

“Oh, hey Lana. I was just…”

“Leaving?” She had an accusatory tone in her voice, which was probably fair. Link looked down sheepishly.

“Look, I need to go.”

“Why?”

“Why do I need to tell you?”

“Because I think I deserve an explanation. You haven’t spoken to me about anything other than training since we first met, except perhaps when you were making sure I was alright.”

“I don’t need to explain myself.” Link realized that his tone of voice may have been too cold, because Lana looked taken aback.

“Well, keep your secrets then. But I know something that may be of use to you.” She said, staring him down. Her emerald eyes seemed to bore holes right through him, but if they were this deep in an argument, it wasn’t worth backing down.

“Oh really?”

“I’ve been having visions. I know it sounds crazy, but I think you can help me. I… I think I saw the Goddess. She needs me to do something and I don’t wish to do so alone. And she told me to speak with you. I think fate brought us together for a reason, Link.”

Hylia. Wonderful. All at once, this whole thing had become a thousand times more complicated. But Twilight seemed to think he needed her, and if Hylia had just become involved, he didn’t want to mess with that.

Apologizing never came easily to Link. The words always stuck in his throat, and he was never the best at admitting he was wrong. But this was Lana. If he couldn’t apologize to her, he’d have to seriously look at his morals.

“Lana, I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken like that. I shouldn’t have tried to leave. But the thing is…” He took a deep breath. This wasn't something easy for him to admit. “I’ve been having dreams and visions too.”

“If we were meant to find each other, what significance does this have? Are we meant to save Hyrule? Hylia only speaks to mortals if the world is in imminent danger.” Lana sounded concerned. Scared, even. Link pulled her in close, in a warm embrace.

“We’ll do our best. And we’ll do it together. After all, fate is a strange thing.”

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The concept of fate has always been quite abstract to me in the real world. But in the Zelda universe, fate plays a pretty big role in Link’s quests. I needed to include stuff like this to explain my characters’ views on things: Zelda, who is kept in the castle her whole life and spends her time reading, is a firm believer. Link isn’t so sure, but we’re going to see him slowly accept his destiny and his feelings for Zelda/Lana but haha shipping and philosophy aren’t related.


	6. Chapter 6

-=]I[=-

The trio had been traveling for two days, with Zelda doing her best to avoid any paths she was aware that the royal guards would be searching. Sure, it was difficult to avoid them, but Link didn't really seem to be questioning her that much. The most direct path was past Hyrule castle, but strangely enough, Link seemed just as eager to avoid that as Zelda did. The journey was a bit longer, but for the most part, it didn’t matter. Especially now that they were on horseback. Link’s steed was strong enough to carry both of them, and Zelda found a strange sort of comfort riding behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist.

Zelda rather enjoyed riding with Link. He made good conversation, telling her all sorts of stories about the monsters he’d combatted. Apparently, he had yet to duel with a Golden Lynel, and yearned to do so. He said it would be a true test of his strength, and that nobody had vanquished one in hundreds of years. 

Zelda was interested in what he had to say, but at the same time, it made her feel so uninteresting. She couldn’t tell him anything about her life at the castle without revealing her real identity, so she mostly waited and listened to his tales. Although, there was clearly some part of his story he was leaving out, something more than just tales of battle. She didn’t bother pressing the issue, however. After all, if she was prying into his life, who was to say he wouldn't pry into hers?

“Look!” Link jolted her out of her thoughts, and he pointed into the distance. The mist of the Lost Woods could be seen in the distance.

“We’ve made it! I can’t believe it! By Hylia, it’s enormous!”

“The fabled resting place of the Master Sword. If Hylia sent us to retrieve it, we need to go in.”

The two of them stood there, overlooking the forest, neither of them moving any closer. Twilight looked calmly into the treetops, his piercing blue eyes analyzing the terrain.

“Link, I’m nervous.” Zelda turned to him, clearly concerned. “I’ve heard stories about those who have wandered into the forest and never returned. I don’t want that to happen to us.”

Link nodded. Although he clearly didn’t want to say anything, he too looked frightened. 

“Maybe we’ll stay in the stable for a little while, leave the horses there safely, and conduct as much research as we can.”

Link nodded, leading onward to the Woodland Stable.

“So, I never asked, what is your horse named?”

“Hm? Oh, her name is Epona. I thought it was fitting, you know? Because I’m named Link.”

“She does look similar to the pictures of Epona that I’ve seen. The same color scheme and everything. She’s beautiful.”

“I didn’t know you’d seen pictures of Epona.”

“Well, there are pictures of her inside the castle.” 

Link turned to face her. “The what now?”

Shit. She should have seen this coming. Obviously she wouldn’t have been able to keep her mouth shut for very long.

“Yes, the castle. I’ve been inside a few times now. I worked as a lady’s maid to Princess Zelda.” The lie slipped effortlessly through her lips. Concerning. It shouldn't be so simple to deceive someone, yet with a few words, she could completely change her identity. 

“Oh. That’s interesting. Do you mind telling me what the Princess was like?”

Zelda laughed nervously. “I’m afraid my opinion might be biased.”

“It doesn’t matter. What do you think?”

Zelda took a deep breath. “She’s strange. I’ll give her that much. I know she started off mostly weak and emotional, very impulsive. She made some rash decisions. I think it’s because her mother died when she was young, and she didn’t have much of a childhood.”

“That’s unfortunate. I missed out on my childhood too. I trained as a royal guard for a while, but it’s fairly clear that I left that behind.”

“You were a royal guard?”

“Yeah. I always wanted to be, even though my father said that I should have just taken over the family farm. Maybe he was right.”

“If that had been so, we never would have met. I’m glad you did end up here.”

“Enough about me. Tell me more about the princess.”

Zelda was about to start again, when a thought crossed her mind.

“Hold on… you don’t fancy her, do you?!”

Link looked surprised. “Goddesses, no. Quite the opposite. I wouldn't want the royal life. Too much politics, not enough adventure. Besides, there’s…” he trailed off, leaving Zelda rather confused. 

“Alright then. I also heard that she yearned for adventure. She often talked about that. And I heard, after I left that… that she ran off after being told she was to be married. I don’t blame her.”

Link had the strangest look on his face. “Neither do I…” 

“Link? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Everything is fine. I just had a thought. I thought maybe… no. It’s impossible. Goodnight, Lana.”

“Goodnight, Link.”

-]I[-

Was it even possible? Could Lana be more than Link ever thought? She seemed to know an awful lot about the Princess, and her detailed knowledge of Hyrule Castle was suspicious. Could she really be…

No. It wasn’t possible. He’d met Lana before news of Zelda’s disappearance had been released, and she was so different from his image of royalty. She was keen to fend for herself, and Link admired that. 

The stable they were staying at was nice enough. The beds there were an improvement from the ground, yet it was different falling asleep without the stars above. He had become so accustomed to the night sky, it was a comforting presence while he was closing his eyes. And now, the only source of light was the torches that illuminated the insides of the stable. Of course, the added security was nice.

Yet he was so close to the military training camp. If anyone there recognized him, he was done for. He just had to hope that the road would take him away from the camp, and he could avoid any of the cadets he had helped train before he left. 

What was hiding in those trees, in that mist? Secrets untold, for hundreds of years, lay shrouded in fog. If the Master Sword was in there, it would be extremely difficult to reach. A relic of that power was not to be trifled with, and would be guarded carefully. It wouldn’t be an ordinary hike. If it was anything like the stories told, he might not make it out of the forest alive.

He was afraid. Afraid of getting lost in the fog, yes, but also afraid of losing her. Lana was peacefully asleep in the next bed over. She was doing so much for him, accompanying him into the Lost Woods. It was a dangerous task, especially for someone who had only just learned how to properly wield a blade. Her spirit was admirable. Even Link was jealous of her will. And if she was lost in the mist because of him… Link didn’t know if he’d ever forgive himself.

But enough about worrying. If he was going into the woods, he needed to be prepared. A good night’s sleep was important. He closed his eyes, and soon felt himself slide into a peaceful slumber.

-]I[-

No dreams that night. No visits from Hylia, nor from him. A red-eyed, ash-skinned version of himself that appeared in his dreams frequently. Sometimes, he was there for a split second, sometimes, it was just Link and the creature, staring at each other, each of them silent and unyielding. 

The woods still hadn’t been cleared of the mist. It hadn’t even thinned out. And the mist only bordered the woods, and none of the area surrounding it. Obviously some form of magic, but what type of being was strong enough to keep a barrier like that in place? The only creatures rumored to have such power were the dragons, but they had vanished a long time ago. Perhaps they were slumbering, storing their power for when they needed it most. Link smiled as he imagined the dragons dueling the Calamity, rather than the chosen hero. He’d want to see something like that in his lifetime.

Lana was already awake. Her bed was empty, and her sword had been moved from its previous position against the wall. Link stretched and pulled himself out of bed, pulling on his tunic, trousers, and traveling hood. Walking outside, he smiled as he saw Lana hacking away at a practice dummy. Her form had improved, even with little training. If they made it out of the Woods, he’d have to teach her some other moves, like the parry. Maybe even a spin attack, if she got good enough.

Lana saw him watching her, and waved at him, grinning. She was spirited. It must have been finally sleeping in a bed again, or possibly a better breakfast than hunted meat and gathered berries. As long as she was happy, so was he.

“So, are we headed into the woods today? It’s not very far from here. The road leads right there…”

“If you’re ready, so am I.” He smiled at her for a bit, then realized that he must have looked silly. Link hurried to change the subject. “Er, where’s Twilight?”

“He’s over there, holding a torch. I tried to get it away from him, but I think he wants to keep it. Didn’t seem like he was playing with it either. I just let him be.”

Link turned to the wolf, who was indeed holding a torch between his fangs. 

“Twilight, what’s with the torch?”

I’m bringing it. Don’t bother taking it from me. 

Link flinched. It was always strange when Twilight did that, but he wasn’t going to argue with the freaking telepathic wolf. Better not to question it, after all. 

“The path hasn’t been used in some time. Look, there are leaves and things all over it,” remarked Lana, pointing at the road ahead. “Probably for good reason.”

“We don’t need a reason. Come on, this’ll be fun.”

The walk was short, even without Epona. Link had elected to keep her at the stable, for her own safety. Only a few minutes until the foliage seemed to darken, and a strange mist poured into the area. Link could barely see in front of him, much less see the correct way to go. He felt something warm brush against his arm, then slide downward and grasp his hand.

“We should stay together. The mist is getting awfully thick,” Lana said. She sounded very nervous, and she gripped Link’s hand tightly. 

“Good point. Look, torches up ahead.” Link gestured forward with his free hand, to a flickering orange light. The fog seemed to be avoiding it, and the orange sparks drifted off in the wind, toward another lit brazier. 

“I wonder how it’s stayed lit this whole time.” Lana seemed to be inspecting the fire, which seemed completely normal in every way. “I think this way is north…” She started to step out into the mist.

“Wait! Stop! Don’t go into the…” 

Lana had vanished. Not faded gradually into the fog, but completely vanished altogether.

“Lana? Lana! LANA!” Link started to head after her, but Twilight dropped to torch and grabbed the back of his tunic, preventing him from going any further. “Get off me, you-”

“Link!” 

Link whirled around to see Lana sprinting towards him. “Lana!”

“I… the whole world just whited out, then the next thing I knew, I was standing at the entrance to the Woods. Are you alright?”

Link swallowed a lump in his throat. “I- I’m fine. You gave me a bit of a scare there.”

Lana smiled shyly. “Maybe we should stick to the torches.”

There were a few more fires up ahead, all the way to an area with two braziers, pushing the mist away in a spherical area. There weren’t any other flames in sight.

“What now?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we missed something?”

The two of them pulled out their maps, glancing them over. It didn’t appear that they had forgotten anything, in fact, they had gotten further than they had dared to hope. But now, they were lost at a standstill, with only the firelight to keep the mist away. The sparks drifted off into the woods, and Twilight seemed to be very interested in them. Link rolled his eyes. Animals could interest themselves with anything, given the opportunity.

“Link, I’m scared.” Lana’s green eyes looked up at him. “I’m scared we won’t ever make it out of here. And even if we do, we’ll have failed. Either way, we’re doomed in the end, aren’t we?”

Link pulled her into a tight embrace. “We’ll make it through this. I know we will. Remember, you can’t let your fear take control of you. Focus on me. Everything will be okay.”

“Link, if we don’t make it through this, I… I need to tell you something. I haven’t been honest with you. You see, I’m actually…”

Where’s the wind?

“What?” Link turned to Twilight, puzzled.

I asked where the wind was. There’s no breeze, right?”

Link shook his head. Had there been a breeze, it would have pushed the wind into the clearing.

“What’s the wind have to do with anything?”

“I’m sorry, but are you… talking… with Twilight?” Lana interjected.

“Yeah, he’s curious about the wind.”

“Oh, I see. The wolf is curious about weather patterns. This makes being stranded in a cursed forest so much easier.”

“Just… give me a minute. I’ll explain later. Now, what was this about the wind?”

No breeze. No nothing. Yet look at the sparks… they’ve all traveled in different directions, leading to the next brazier. Now there’s no fire, but the sparks still lead to something, don’t they?

“Oh, Hylia, you’re right. You’re right! Lana, listen to this…” he began to explain what Twilight had just told him. Lana stared at him like he was insane, but it didn’t deter him. If they could find there way out of the forest, he didn’t care what anyone thought of him.

“So we need to follow the sparks. Didn’t Twilight bring a torch?”

Link turned to the wolf, who was busying himself with chasing his tail. Helpful one moment, like this the next. Link picked up the torch and held it to the brazier. It immediately caught fire, and Link began to slowly follow the trail of sparks. Occasionally, the sparks would drift in a new direction, and Link would divert his course.

“I think we need to go through that hollow tree. It seems so old, doesn’t it?” Lana remarked, staring at the huge log. Link nodded and headed through. 

“Look!” Lana pointed excitedly towards a strange, lamp-like structure. It was glowing warmly, illuminated not by fire, but magic. The mist wasn’t as present here, in fact, as they progressed down the path, the mist wasn't present at all. Link dared to put the torch away, putting out the fire as they walked. One of the ancient shrines was nearby. Link couldn’t help but marvel at the craftsmanship. How old were they? At least 10,000 years. Perhaps even longer. The Sheikah were technological geniuses, from what he’d learned. 

They rounded the final corner, ducking slightly under an overgrown root, until they finally came into a clearing. What they saw next was breathtaking. But at the same time, the shock they experienced was far more powerful than any emotions evicted by the beautiful scene in front of them

Silent princesses, a rare flower, bloomed in abundance. Tiny little creatures hid in the leaves and grass, peering curiously at the pair. A giant, ancient tree with beautiful pink foliage towered above them, and the tree seemed to be looking at them with ancient, wooden eyes. They were greeted with a beautiful clearing…

...and an empty podium.

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what I hate reading? Cliffhangers. You know what I love writing? Cliffhangers. 
> 
> But this isn't much of a cliffhanger to you guys because the next chapter is literally already written. So... yeah.


	7. Chapter 7

-=]I[=-

“The Sword… it’s gone…”

“How is this possible?” Zelda stared at the podium, not daring to believe it was actually gone.

“It shouldn’t be… it was said to have rested here…”

“The only other documented location of the Master Sword is the Temple of Time, and we were already there.”

Link slammed his fist into a giant tree root, causing one of the little creatures to jump out of its hiding spot and scurry off. Zelda looked at him disapprovingly, these woods were supposed to be sacred, after all.

“Excuse me!” Zelda and Link turned around in surprise as a booming voice seemed to shake the forest around them. 

“Who said that?” Zelda reached for the bow she had strapped to her back. Link already had his sword drawn and was looking around suspiciously.

“I did.” Bewildered, the two of them looked around the clearing, still not finding the source of the voice. “I would appreciate if you would not hit my roots.”

Slowly, Zelda turned to face the massive tree. The giant wooden face peered down at them, but not in a malignant way. Instead, it looked old and kindly, like an old grandfather taking amusement in his grandchildren’s antics. And it was talking. Completely normal. 

“Oh, sorry about that.” Link stared up at the tree and slowly sheathed his sword. “I didn’t mean…”

“Don’t worry, it matters not. An old tree’s roots aren’t something you need to worry about.”

Zelda was still speechless. She had always assumed that the Great Deku Tree was a myth, a fairytale. Of course, vanishing in a cold mist and reappearing at the front gates of a mysterious forest also seemed like a story. Perhaps it was wise to assume that the majority of the tales told in Hyrule weren’t just falsehoods.

Twilight barked, somewhat impatiently. 

“Ah, so you’ve returned, have you? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

If this wasn’t strange before. Now, apparently the Deku Tree knew Twilight. 

“Pardon me, Great Deku Tree, but we are here to find the Master Sword.” Zelda might have sounded rude, but if the goddess was appearing to her in her dreams, could she really spend time talking to an old tree? The entire realm was at stake!

“Hm, quite straightforward, are we? You’re quite different from your ancestor, you know. She was quite the talker. But I do see the similarities between you two. Very well, I will tell you what I know about the sacred blade… the sword that seals the darkness… the Master Sword.”

Zelda started to express her gratitude, but was interrupted. 

“However, I know not whether you are ready to wield this blade. Should one who is unworthy of it attempt such an act, they are doomed to fall. Before I tell you anything, I wish to assess your strength.”

Link smiled confidently. “Alright. I’m sure we can handle it, right Lana?”

“Hmm. Interesting. I thought you… ah, never you mind. Just the ramblings of an old tree. Speak with Chio, the same korok who addressed the last Hero.”

“Thank you, Great Deku Tree,” Zelda said, respectfully bowing her head. Inside, she was panicking slightly. That was close. If the Deku Tree knows who I am, he could have told Link. I suppose I’m lucky. He’s come close to realizing several times. I must tread carefully.

“So,you’re Chio?” Link was already speaking to one of the little creatures from before. A korok, a forest spirit. 

“I am! I never thought I’d ever see another Mr. Hero again! I guess you’re here to try the Korok Trials! You need to follow the bean lamps and find some of my friends who can explain them to you. The trials are: The Trial of Wood!” The little korok mimed slashing a sword around. “The Trial of Second Sight!” He put a hand over his eyes(?) and spun around in a circle. “And… The Lost Pilgrimage! Best of luck to you, Mr. Hero!”

-]I[-

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the first trial. A korok was waiting for them, playing around with a leaf branch. Zelda giggled. They really were adorable.

“Ah! You’re here! I’m honored that you are taking on my trial first! Welcome to the Lost Pilgrimage. Us Koroks undergo this challenge when we are young. My name is Oaki, by the way. I met the last Mr. Hero here a while ago. He was supposed to follow me and make sure I was safe, but I did the trial allllll by myself in the end. Anyway, you need to find a Shrine in there.”

“How do we know what the right path is?”

Oaki sighed. “It’s a trial-and-error thing. Your trick you used to get here won’t work, it’ll just guide you back to the Korok Forest. But remember to watch the flowers and go through the hollow oak tree. Good luck, Mr. Hero!”

Link and Zelda started down the trail. 

“They keep calling you ‘Mr. Hero.’ It’s kind of adorable.”

“I guess you’re right. I don’t feel like much of a hero though. Twilight is the only real reason we got through the woods in the first place. I haven’t done a lot of heroic stuff.”

Zelda stopped walking. “Link. If anyone in this entire world is a hero, it’s you. Now quit whining about how you’ve only rid the world of a few assassins and bloodthirsty monsters and accept the fact that you are the bravest, strongest, kindest person I know and keep walking.”

Link looked stunned for a minute, then continued walking. It might have been the mist, but Zelda could have sworn there was a pinkish tinge to his cheeks. 

Zelda and Link were able to make it to a hollow oak tree. Oakie was right, they could pass through the grounded trunk with ease, and they were able to follow the blue flowers that created a path for them. Once or twice, one of them would wander a bit too far to the side and begin to fade away, but the other (or in one instance, Twilight) was able to pull them back to safety. 

“Wow.” Link, who was a bit further up the path, gasped slightly. Zelda rushed up next to him. One of the ancient shrines, glowing with a soft blue light, illuminated a meadow full of flowers. Zelda pulled out the Sheikah Slate for the first time in a little while and quickly captured an image. The opportunity was too beautiful to pass up. 

“Well, one trial down.”

-]I[-

The two had just started the trial of Second Sight, and they were hopelessly lost. Three times had one of them strayed too far into the mist, and three times they had appeared at the beginning, gasping and shivering. 

Metal.

Link looked quizzically at Wolf Link, who was curled up on the ground, half asleep.

“What?”

Metal. All I’m going to say. Now, I’m trying to nap.

Helpful. Link turned to Lana. 

“Call me crazy, but I think it has something to do with metal.”

“You are crazy. We tried that, remember? We couldn’t find the next one, got lost, and now we’re back here.”

“I know that. It’s got to be something to do with it though, right?”

“I suppose so. If only we had…” Lana trailed off, then whipped out the strange tablet. “If only we had an easier way of seeing it… by the Goddess, why didn’t I use this before?”

“Use what before?”

“Magnesis!”

Link couldn't really make sense of it, but she seemed confident enough. He followed her into the fog. 

They two of them made it further than they had before, all the way to a stone tablet, flanked by two lit braziers. On it read a faded inscription: Feed me the aged shield guarded by monsters eternal. My brother will repay you in kind. 

“The rusted shield from before.” Link glanced behind them, at a small rise with a rusty shield embedded in the top. They had fought off a few stalkoblins there, but hadn’t bothered to pick up the shield. Lana nodded and ran back, picking up the shield. Hesitantly, she dropped it into the mouth of the tree behind the tablet, and a silver chest dropped down in the mouth of a nearby tree. In the distance, another pair of torches could be seen. 

Link retrieved the treasure (a nice lump of amber, which could be sold later) and led Lana down to the lake. There was a decent enough raft in front of them, which could easily be brought across the lake. Link directed it using a korok leaf (he still had no idea how those things worked, but whatever) and they started drifting across the lake.

“Lana, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.” She smiled.

“When we thought we were going to be lost in the woods, what did you want to say to me?”

“It’s nothing.” She looked away quickly. “Nothing that would interest you anymore.”

Link wanted to press the matter more, but dropped the subject. If she didn’t want to say something, fine. He was going to respect that. Hylia knows what he was keeping from her. Leaving the kingdom against the king’s orders was treason.

It didn't matter anyway. They had come across the next carving.

Place my chest back in my mouth. The shield-eater’s brother stole it from me.

“How are we going to lift that chest?”

“Leave it to me.” Lana whipped out the slate and directed it towards the chest. A small orb of yellow light shot out of the slate and made contact with the chest. Lana easily directed it back towards herself, and carefully placed it in the mouth.

As if he didn’t have enough to question about that girl…

They didn’t waste any time gawking. The sun was getting low. 

-]I[-

It was already sark by the time they arrived at the final trial: The Trial of Wood. Three weapons were laid out- bow, sword, and shield. Zelda was better archery, and Link was better at swordplay. They reached an unspoken agreement and took the respective weapons. 

The task seemed simple enough: the boundaries were marked, they could only use the wooden weapons, and they had to reach another shrine. 

The first onslaught of monsters appeared in a clearing. They were easily dispatched. Link would rush up and attack while Zelda provided covering fire. If a stray projectile headed towards Zelda, Link was able to perform a perfectly timed parry and deflect it right back at the sender. 

Link wouldn’t be vain to call himself the greatest warrior in Hyrule. He would simply be stating the obvious. Zelda admired her perfect form. It somewhat reminded her of the knights back at the castle. Of course, he did used to be a knight. But somehow his style was more refined, more elegant. He was stunning to watch. 

“Well, are you too stunned to shoot those arrows?” Link gave her a crooked grin and Zelda giggled. 

“I’m just reloading. Don’t flatter yourself too much.”

“Hm. I’ll try not to.”

The hardest part of the trial was near the swamp, with a huge number of monsters, all armed to the teeth. Zelda’s bow ran out of arrows, and Link’s shield shattered after trying to repel an attack. 

“Do we retreat?”

“No! In my pocket, there’s an extra arrow. Of the explosive variety. Take it and fire it right in the center. When they’re dazed, I’ll finish them off.”

Zelda took the arrow in her hands. It was tipped with a sack of gunpowder, and obviously it was highly dangerous. 

The monsters continued to change formation, pummeling them with volleys of arrows. They left no openings for Zelda to fire her own arrow. 

“I can’t get a clear shot!”

“I’ll boost you! Run at me.”

Zelda complied, charging at Link at full speed. She stepped onto his palms and he threw her into the air. 

Time seemed to slow down as Zelda pulled back the bowstring and released. The arrow zoomed towards its mark, Link dove for cover behind a nearby rock, and Zelda remained suspended in the air, watching the arrow slowly fall to the ground. 

Time snapped back to normal again. The arrow hit the ground and exploded into a beautiful mass of color and light. Fire rained down over the monsters as Link dashed forward, executing every last one of them. 

Every last one of them, save one. A lizalfos took advantage of Zelda’s dazed state, she had been quite close to the explosion, after all, and scurried towards her, weapon raised. 

Zelda blocked the blow with her bow, but the metal edge of the boomerang slowly began to cut through the wood. 

Link couldn’t make it in time, and Twilight was busy wrestling a bokoblin into the swamp. 

But Zelda refused to allow this to be the end. She wasn’t helpless at the hands of the Yiga Clan anymore. She was stronger. Smarter. With a swift kick, she launched the lizalfos into the point of Link’s blade. Both their weapons shattered, but it didn’t matter. They had won. 

The final shrine appeared in the distance. They didn’t bother trying to reach it, they just walked back into the woods, hand in hand. 

-]I[-

It was well past midnight when they arrived back at the empty pedestal. The Great Deku Tree looked at them with pride. 

“The two of you have proved your valor. Although given your roots, I harbored no doubt. And so, I will tell you what has become of the Master Sword.”


	8. Chapter 8

-=]I[=-

“For centuries, the Master Sword has slumbered within these woods, until the day the Hero of the Wild was chosen by the Master Sword. He wielded the blade in the name of Hyrule, and used it to protect his princess from harm. Until, of course, the Great Calamity. 

“I’m sure you know the tale of Corruption, of the Hero’s fall. The princess set out, and returned the blade to its resting spot in this forest. 

“One hundred years passed, and the Hero woke from his slumber. He defeated the four extensions of Ganon’s power that resided in the Divine Beasts, took up the Master Sword once again, and freed the princess, slaying Calamity Ganon. 

“The rest of their adventure is the less told tale. Together, they deactivated the Divine Beasts and the guardians, and set them to rest where they would remain untouched by mortal hands. As for the Sword…

“I am afraid I do not know where it resides. The last Link, the Hero of the Wild, never returned the blade to the forest. He thought it to be too much of a risk, knowing that Calamity Ganon would return once again, and it might know of the sword’s true location. The Sword that Seals the Darkness remains missing.”

“So you can’t help us?” Zelda asked, clearly losing hope as the conversation continued. 

The Deku Tree sighed. “I am of no direct assistance, however, I can tell you where to begin your search.”

“Please! We need to find the Sword! If we don’t, I fear that this land has no hope of survival,” Zelda practically pleaded. She was getting anxious. It had been quite a while since Hylia had appeared to her, and Her Grace has had a sense of urgency about her. 

“After the Hero became the next King of Hyrule by marrying the princess, he was no longer seen with the blade. It is not entirely impossible that there is some clue of its location back in the library of Hyrule Castle.”

Zelda stepped back involuntarily. If the Sword was in the castle, if Hyrule had any chance of survival, she needed to face her past life. If they found out just who she was, would she be forced to return to that life of weakness and shame? Would she be forced back into that horrendous marriage? Would she…

Would she be forced away from the only person she ever loved? Zelda glanced at Link, who looked equally pale. He did have a past as a soldier in the army, but she didn’t think anything could happen that would scar him that badly. The army hadn’t seen combat in years, but since they had to quash a small uprising of monsters, and that was only a small strike force. It was unlikely that Link had ever seen real combat before leaving the castle. 

“I suppose we should go then. Come on. Hyrule Castle awaits us.”

Link looked into the Lost Woods uncertainty. “It’s getting late. The woods are going to be dangerous at this hour. We can stay one more night and then leave.”

Zelda smiled. “Alright then. But we don’t have anywhere to sleep…”

One of the little koroks piped up. “Actually, there is a bed of leaves you can sleep on inside the Deku Tree. You should come in.”

The two followed the korok into a hollow room inside the Deku Tree. The korok launched into an explanation on how they were actually inside the navel of the tree, but Zelda tried her best not to think about it. 

Link was right, it was late. She was exhausted, but was so caught up with the trials to find the Master Sword that she hadn’t realized the toll it had taken on her. Her entire body ached with pain, and her ears were still slightly ringing from the explosion. She thumped down on the bed beside Link.

It was at this moment when she realized that this was very improper. Sharing a bed with a man she wasn’t wedded to? The King would probably freak out. But she didn’t care about the King anymore, or any sort of standards. If the world was really going to end, she had to live a little first. 

-]I[-

“Hello again, Zelda.” Zelda was dreaming again, but she wasn’t in the Temple of Time like she was before. Instead, she was standing in front of the largest shrine to Hylia she had ever seen. 

“Your Grace.” Zelda Bowes her head, recognizing the voice of the speaker. The statue shimmered, and a golden light burst forth, manifesting itself in the form of a beautiful young girl. Hylia. 

“Yes, it’s me. I admire what you are doing, helping Link on his journey. But I must ask you… have you been considering your own destiny?”

Zelda was taken aback. Yes, she knew that she had some role to play, but she didn’t know what she had to do. 

“Ah, you do not know what you must do yet? Well, you must awaken the Golden Goddesses. They have slumbered for far too long, allowing their power to manifest into creatures of their own mind.”

“The Golden Goddesses? But Your Grace, what about your power? Are you not equally capable as them?”

Hylia sighed. “I was, once… but I sacrificed my divine form and power. In truth, I am powerless in stopping any conflict in Hyrule. While it is the land entrusted to me, I am not the true protector. Instead, I seek out those who I know will save our land. The Hero of Legend, and the Spirit Maiden.”

“But the spirit maiden is…”

“Yes Zelda. The spirit maiden is me, reincarnated into mortal form. But that form…is the Princess of Hyrule. You are me, reborn into mortal form.”

“Your Grace…”

“I don’t need to be called that. Remember, you are addressing yourself. I just now realized how strange this is, talking to myself.”

“Your… Hylia, I still don’t understand what it is that I must do.”

Hylia took Zelda’s hand in her own. “My child, it is up to you to figure this out. I understand your confusion, and I know that this must be a lot for you to take in, but please, don’t lose hope. Take strength in the ones you love, and remember to stay strong. If the worst does happen, you mustn't allow anything to inhibit you from reaching your true destiny.”

“What destiny? I don’t know what you’re trying to say to me. Please, I… I can’t do this alone.”

Hylia smiled. “You aren’t alone, Zelda. Remember that. What you must do is awaken your slumbering power. The Goddesses can help you. Good luck, Zelda…”

Hylia vanished, leaving only the statue behind. Zelda was even more confused than she was to begin with, and Hylia’s tone… well, it only made her more afraid.

-]I[-

When Zelda woke up, she found herself with one of Link’s arms around her, and her hand lazily draped over his chest. She lay there for a minute, thinking about her second encounter with Hylia. If she really was the Spirit Maiden, and she really did have to awaken her mysterious power, how was she going to accomplish it? Her ancestor had only managed to use her power after the person she loved had nearly died on the battlefield, and she didn’t want anything like that to happen to anyone.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Zelda looked up to see Link smiling down at her. Zelda was confused for a minute, then caught the way that they had been sleeping. Zelda leaped out of bed, blushing furiously.

“I… I didn’t… I didn’t mean… It’s not what it looks like!” 

Link just grinned and got out of bed himself, stretching and yawning.

“Don’t grin like that!”

Link laughed slightly and picked up his sword. He’d been so tired the night before that he’d fallen asleep in his traveling clothes, as had Zelda. The two of them enjoyed a light breakfast together- (the koroks were watching them from the bushes, which was a bit creepy, but it was quite clear that no one really ruled over the forest children-) and simply enjoyed the serenity of the Korok forest. It was quite lovely; the sunlight shining through the trees gave the world a greenish-golden glow. A few flowers shone with light of their own, and the butterflies and other insects floated from flower to flower, buzzing and humming softly.

“Hello, humans! My name is Hestu! I am here to guide you out of the forest.” Zelda and Link stared up at the largest korok they had ever seen, who was holding two massive maracas. A confusing sight at first, but he looked rather friendly (and a bit less frightening than the little koroks hiding behind the bushes.)

“Hello, Hestu. Are those… maracas?” Zelda asked, laughing slightly.

Hestu nodded, raising the maracas over his head. As he shook them, different colors of light shot out of the ends of the maracas. Link and Zelda both laughed slightly as the colorful orbs rained down around them, disappearing before they hit the ground.

In a setting like this, with both of them just purely happy, Zelda looked at Link in a whole new light. He was more than just the person who taught her sword fighting, or the man who rescued her from the Yiga clan. While she didn’t trust her own feeling sometimes, was it possible that Link was the person who she was… 

No. She couldn’t let feelings like this get in the way of the fate of Hyrule. Perhaps after they’d found the Sword, after they’d stopped anything from attacking Hyrule, then she would allow her heart to rule. But for now, it was imperative that she made her decisions based purely on the greater good of Hyrule.

“Well, now that you’ve heard my song, I think you should follow me. You need to make it to Hyrule Castle, or so the forest children tell me.” Hestu led them towards a path and told them what they needed to do. Apparently, leaving the forest was much less difficult than entering it.

They left they korok forest simply by standing in the mouth of a hollow tree, which swept them back to the entrance. Zelda had felt it before, from the first time they’d gone trekking through the Woods. Link, however, looked pale and a bit seasick. Zelda rubbed her hand along his back to comfort him. He smiled appreciatively, and together, the two of them left the Woods. Twilight followed close behind them, occasionally running ahead to chase some squirrel. The Castle towered in the distance, silhouetted against the sun.

“Look! The stable! We can reunite with our horses, and make the trip a lot shorter.” Link gestured excitedly towards the stable. “And… I can get some food that isn’t mushrooms!”

Zelda looked at him and burst out in giggles. “You… you’re really looking forward to food?! Not finding the legendary Master Sword, the Sacred Blade, the Sword That Seals the Darkness?”

“Okay, sometimes a good apple pie is better than Hyrule’s fate.” 

Zelda looked at him, struggling to hold a straight face. “Link, pie is delicious, but you need to be alive to eat pie.”

Link looked her straight in the eyes and whispered “then I will perish.”

Zelda burst into a laughing fit. Something about Link just made her so happy all the time. A happiness she had never felt inside Hyrule Castle.

As they rode away from the stable, still laughing slightly, Zelda smiled to herself. Despite the Castle, the place where she’d been born and raised, looming in the distance, she felt more at home riding side by side with Link. Even if they did fail, it would be together. And was that really so bad?

-]I[-

“I just realized that we’re going into Hyrule Castle. And that it’s going to be heavily guarded and incredibly dangerous.” Lana stopped in her tracks, staring at the towers in the distance. 

“That might be a problem.”

Lana nodded. “We can’t just walk in the front gate, we’ll be spotted and thrown out.”

Or thrown in prison. Link thought to himself. Most likely if he was ever spotted again, he’d be arrested for treason against the King of Hyrule. Even if he was only following his heart, and leaving a life that would keep him forever imprisoned, it still was directly going against the King’s orders.

But he could never let Lana know. What would she think about him? She’d been so honest with him, confessing her concerns, trusting in him, and yet he was still unable to tell her the truth. He was a criminal. He wasn’t wanted for murder, or for arson, but he was still an enemy of the throne. And being with Lana put her in danger.

“Do you have any ideas? You used to live there, didn’t you?”

Lana looked thoughtfully at the castle. “There is an entrance we could take… down by the docks, there’s a passage inside. Since nobody really uses the docks anymore, and instead goods are directly imported into Castle Town, it should be fairly easy to sneak inside. Provided, of course, you can swim?”

Link snorted. “Of course I can swim.”

“Excellent. We can camp on the hill behind the castle. When night falls, we can sneak in through the docks. If I recall correctly, there’s a passage leading into the library. It should make the whole ordeal easy. In and out.”

Link nodded, repeating the words. “In and out.” In truth, he was nervous. Not of the castle, or the guards, but of what Lana would think of him if she found out that he had run from his future. He could take a couple years in prison, but he wasn’t willing to give up his bond with the one person who he actually liked. 

As they drew closer, Lana seemed more and more entranced by the castle. When he asked her about it, she merely stated “sorry, I’m lost in my own thoughts. Don’t concern yourself over my simple musings.”

It was almost sundown by the time they reached the moat. Lana pointed out a small opening in the foundation of the castle: the entrance to the docks. It would be a bit of a swim, but nothing he couldn’t manage. And his time as a knight taught him that there were no lizalfos in the moat, despite several circulating rumors.

“So, I suppose we just wait now. A couple of hours and the only light source will be the moon.” Lana turned away from the castle to face Link. “Are you ready for this? This is against the law. If we’re caught… I don’t want to think about what might happen to y- to us.”

Link smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure we won’t be caught. After all, if all else fails, I can bake the guards an apple pie and bribe them into leaving us alone.” 

Lana smiled at the joke, and slowly her smile widened and she burst out into giggles. When she laughed, her whole face brightened up, and her nose wrinkled in the most adorable way imaginable. If he was caught, he wanted to spend as much time with her laughter as he could. She just had that effect on him; the one that makes you feel like you’re flying, even in these darkening times. 

It was funny, really. She’d gone from being a nervous, overly-emotional wreck to a truly admirable person in the span of a few days. While Link would never say it out loud, he suspected it had something to do with her life before the wilderness. It wasn’t impossible that she’d spent her life sheltered from the real world, and when she was faced with danger, she didn’t know how to react. And, of all the people in Hyrule for her to encounter, he had the fortune of meeting her. 

“What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?” Lana had noticed him staring at her.

“Hm? Oh no, you’re perfect. Um... I mean, your skin is perfect. Clear! Your skin is perfectly clear.” Damn. Why was he so flustered all of a sudden? All he had to do was say one sentence, and he somehow messed that up. 

“Ah, thank you. You’re perfect too.” Lana winked at him, causing Link to turn red at the ears.

“Oh, come on, I was trying to speak. Are you making fun of me now?”

“Don’t worry, I’d never make fun of someone with a stutter,” she said, with a completely serious expression on her face.

“Hey! I do NOT have a stutter!” 

Lana giggled and poked him on he stomach. “Yes, you do. Either that, or I’m just so perfect that the goddesses intended for you to say so.”

Maybe you are perfect, Link thought, fighting not to say it aloud.

Lana stood up, pointing towards the sky. “Well, enough messing about. I suppose it’s about time we headed towards the castle.” She was right. The moon was on the rise, and the sky had turned a bluish-black color. The color of twilight.

“What are we going to do about weapons?” Link suddenly realized that a heavy metal sword wasn’t going to make it across the water so easily.

“It is the castle. We might not need them. Besides, I know of several weapons stashes hidden around the castle. Princess Zelda showed them to me while I worked there.”

“Alright. I could use a new sword anyway.” It was true. The knight’s sword he’d been traveling with for such a long time was starting to lose its strength and the blade was getting duller. He was due for an upgrade.

Lana and Link pulled off their boots, leaving them waiting on the shores. They could retrieve shoes later. What mattered was getting across the moat without drowning. 

As he was preparing to dive in, he noticed that Lana still had the funny device on her belt. Although he was worried about it weighing her down, it had gotten them out of a few situations in the Lost Woods. Perhaps it would be worth it to have the tablet with them again.

“Ladies first?” Link gestured towards the waters of the moat, silver and reflective in the moonlight.

Lana nodded and dove into the water below. Link followed behind closely.

The swim wasn’t worth documenting, but it was over quickly. No lizalfos were encountered, partially because having monsters so close to the castle would do more harm than good. Link reached the shore first, followed closely by Lana. He pulled her out of the water as Twilight materialized next to them. Lana opened her mouth in confusion upon seeing the wolf’s strange entrance, but didn’t speak of it. Probably for the best, considering that Link himself had no idea how Twilight managed that.

As they trudged through the tunnel, Link began to dread the coming expedition more and more. He really did not want to be caught, and he didn’t want to drag Lana into these affairs. A growing pit in his stomach constantly reminded him of his failure to obey. Obedience was one of the first things he was taught, alongside loyalty and bravery. Never flinching, never failing, always obeying. 

“Link,” Zelda said, jerking out of his thoughts.

“What is it?”

“Look.” She pointed towards the end of the tunnel, where a few docks and shipping boats lay inside the waterway. Hyrule’s Docks.

“We’re in.” 

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Insert clever author's note here*


	9. Chapter 9

-=]I[=-

Twilight anxiously paced back and forth as the two humans teased each other. Yes, their relationship was sweet, but they failed to see the danger at hand. Did they not understand the significance of the blood moon? The reason that the monsters were increasing in number? The fact that the Yiga Clan was on the rise again? 

And there was something strangely familiar about Lana. She reminded him of someone… and Twilight was almost positive that she was lying about her identity. A strange aura seemed to radiate around her, one of immense power. The closest thing to that he’d felt was when he was in the Sacred Realm with Zelda. 

Zelda… he missed her terribly, and Midna too. How long had it been? Weeks? Months? And yet only a few days would pass for them, and he would return after a short absence, despite having lived an extra lifetime. 

The castle was dark, dreary, and cold. The musky smell of the lake reached his nose, reminding him of his time in the dungeon. The manacle still dragged across the floor, reminding him of his journey through his own time.

“You alright there?” A familiar voice shook Twilight out of his thoughts. But this voice didn’t belong to Lana or Link, it was…

“Yeah, it’s me.” Midna’s shadow grinned at him. Twilight jumped in surprise, and quickly ran down another hallway. Link gave him a look of confusion, but left him alone. It was for the best. Seriously, who wants to find out that their traveling companion is your ancestor, a time traveler, and can speak to beings from another realm?

“I bet you’re wondering what I’m doing here?” Midna’s yellow eyes peered at him in amusement. “Well, truth be told, I won’t be for long. You see what time it is?”

Twilight glanced outside. Of course. Dusk had fallen, the few short moments between the setting sun and the rising moon. The hour when the sky gleamed blue, and a dark shadow fell upon everything.

“Yeah, I need to be quick. Listen… something big is about to happen. And the Hero you’re traveling with isn’t ready. He isn’t prepared for this. I know it seems like a lot to ask, but it’s up to you to guide his path, and make sure he’s strong enough when the time comes.” Midna paused for a moment. “For the record, I definitely did not say that. I’m just a messenger, because I’m the only one who can connect with you when you’re a creature of the Twilight, blah blah blah. If I were delivering the message, I would have told you that you’re totally ridiculous as a pet, and why didn’t you ever act that nice to me?”

Twilight rolled his eyes. Midna was just as sarcastic as ever, and her attitude just made him miss his home even more. But about that message...of course he had read the signs, and he knew that it wouldn’t be long until the resurrection of Calamity Ganon. But the Hero had always triumphed… right? 

“It’s getting late. The twilight is fading. But remember, this Hyrule needs you. And if you die, I’ll kill you myself.” She winked, then vanished and melted back into a normal shadow.

Twilight teleported himself back to Link. One of the nice things about this realm was how rich it was in magic. He could use the warp ability at any time, and not just with Midna’s assistance. He still missed his home though, especially the forest and the rolling plains in front of Hyrule Castle.

“Hey, bud. What took you so long?”

Twilight looked sadly at Link. He had no idea, did he? That the end of the world was closing in, that he was the only one who could stop it, and that he wasn’t strong enough yet? Link was still so young, just as Twilight had been. None of his incarnations would ever have a moment’s rest, would they? At least once, couldn’t he live a peaceful life? Although that was the doom of the chosen hero. While he would be praised as the savior of the kingdom, even the savior of the world in certain occasions, he would never know comfort, never know rest. And everyone expected the best of them, expected them to be stronger than the rest, even when at their weakest. In some ways, it wasn’t fair. Yet it was their destiny, and destiny isn’t something to be avoided.

“We should keep going.” Zelda’s voice echoed slightly around the curved walls of the chamber. In the firelight, her green eyes shone brighter, her blonde hair became almost golden. She looked so familiar… Twilight had certainly seen her before. Stunningly similar to her ancestor. He was still surprised that Link couldn’t recognize her

The group travelled in silence down the passage, towards the docks. Twilight glanced inside. There were only two guards, who were immersed in a game of poker. Link crouched down next to Twilight, motioning for Zelda to do the same.

“There’s a passage that way. Let’s go.” Zelda gestured towards a corridor on the second floor. Sneaking by the guards was easy enough, ad Twilight could tell by the stench that they were both drunk. The guards back at home were a lot different. More rigid, and more numerous. They wouldn’t have made it two steps inside the castle without being apprehended, which probably wasn’t a bad thing. It meant that they didn’t have to worry about any monsters making their way inside the castle. Well, except for Zant. And he’s from the Twilight realm, so that doesn’t count, thought Twilight as he silently padded down the corridor. 

The group snuck their way through the hallway, finally coming to the end. Link groaned in anger, seeing a large metal wall blocking their path. It appeared to be the end of the hallway. 

“Oh, come on! We need to get inside the castle, not run into a dead end.”

Zelda laughed slightly, and she took the Slate off of her waist and held it up.

“You should touch up on your history. These tunnels aren’t dead ends, they’re passages.” Twilight saw her swiping through runes, finally selecting magnesis. He had seen the Hero of the Wild do this once, getting into the castle library via the passages. Of course, it wasn’t that simple back then. A horde of lizalfos had made it into the library, and Wild had fought dozens before finally being able to explore. 

The castle was so different without Ganon’s presence. Bright torches cast a merry glow over the tunnels, people roamed the halls rather than bloodthirsty monsters, and the majority of the palace was actually accessible now. Without malice covering the floors, or entire hallways caved in, Twilight realized how large the castle really was. There was so much to explore when the time was right. But for now, he had to accomplish his mission.

Zelda opened the passage, sending the false bookshelf tumbling into the room. It made a loud noise, and all of them flinched slightly. 

The library of Hyrule had been restored to its former glory, much to Twilight’s delight. It really was beautiful without all of the broken structures and books strewn about the floors. Zelda would have loved this plethora of knowledge. He imagined her sitting at the table, immersed in one of her books. With a pang, he realized how much he really missed her… how much he really missed home. 

“You like it here, bud?” Link had noticed Twilight staring around in wonder and knelt down to scratch his ears. 

I do. It’s beautiful.

“You mind staying on guard duty?”

Twilight nodded, and made his way over to one of the doorways, sitting there attentively. He glanced out the window at the darkening sky. A storm was brewing in the distance. How long until it hit the castle?

And how long… how long until the real storm arrived? How long until the return of Ganon?

-]I[-

Zelda anxiously wandered around the library, grabbing any books with the mention of the name “Ganon,” the Master Sword, even books on the Goddess Hylia. Link was at the other section of the library, picking up books of his own.

There wasn’t any evidence of the Sword’s location. Only notes on the Lost Woods, even a mention of the Temple of Time. As for Hylia, there were a lot of history books, but nothing about her powers. Nothing about her descendents. 

Nothing about Zelda.

Link didn’t look like he was having any better luck. A pile of books lay next to him, steadily growing as he flipped through more pages and angrily discarded them.

Zelda glanced over the pages, and remembered what Hylia had told her. Awaken the Golden Goddesses. Nayru, Din, and Farore were also written into Hyrule’s history, and she’d seen several mentions of them in the books. 

The Golden Goddesses… didn’t they draw their power from magic springs or something? Zelda remembered hearing about them, the Springs of Courage, Wisdom, and Power. Perhaps… if she were to journey there, just as her ancestor did before her, another piece of the puzzle would fall into place. It was worth a shot.

Well, that was one lead. It still didn’t solve the problem of the Master Sword being missing. And Link still hadn’t found anything. Zelda noticed him subtly flipping through cookbooks. Evidently he’d given up on trying to find information.

“Hey, are you looking for something?” A small girl with blonde hair walked up to the two of them. “Anything at all?”

What a peculiar appearance. Her blonde hair was curled up above her head, all but defying gravity. Her clothes looked like they belonged on a pirate, not on… whoever she was. Her presence was oddly familiar, although Zelda couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Zelda stared at the girl, trying to recall where she had seen her before.

“I’m Tetra. Now, what are you looking for? I may be more help than you think.”

Link groaned in frustration. “Might as well ask you. Know anything about the Master Sword?”

Tetra smirked. “Do I? Last person to have it was King Link. Hid it away somewhere, nobody knows where.”

Zelda looked at her smug expression. “Can you help us or not?”

Tetra rolled her eyes. “Come on, I’m not going to hold your hand through everything. Look, Link was the king of Hyrule at some point. So he hid the Sword, but he must have left some information behind, right?”

Zelda gasped. “I am stupid. Of course that’s where it would be!”

Link looked at her in confusion. “Where what would be? I’ll be honest, I’m not sure where this is going…”

Zelda stood up, running over towards the bookshelves. “Link… not you, the other one… was once the King. He married Zelda, bringing him into the bloodline. So he’d inherit anything in the castle that once belonged to the King…”

“I don’t follow.”

“That includes the King’s study. I remember hearing that it’s somewhere in the library, hidden behind the bookshelves. If Link had put any information on the whereabouts of the Sword, it would be in his study.”

Link jumped up as well, scanning the bookshelves. “So how do we get in?”

“Well, think. How did you get into the library?” Tetra called sarcastically.

Zelda grabbed the Slate again, selecting magnesis and glancing around the library. She finally pulled a bookshelf out of the wall, revealing a small, dusty room behind it. Link walked up behind her, pausing when he reached her side. The two of them stared into the tunnel together. Were they really this close? Maybe the Sword was in there, and all they had to do was make it in.

Zelda turned back to thank Tetra, but the young girl had vanished without a trace. Odd.

“Well, there isn’t a moment to lose.” Zelda stepped into the room. Beautiful red tapestries adorned the walls, a worn carpet was spread across the floor, and a table and chairs were located on the other side. 

There was no sign of the Sword, but there was something else. Walking over to the table, Zelda picked up an old journal with yellowing pages. It was a personal account, of King Link of Hyrule. 

Zelda picked up the book, careful not to rip any pages. She glanced at the other materials on the table. A plate and cup… how long had those been there? A traveler’s sword, a few simple arrows. A picture with a dirty frame. Zelda rubbed her hands along the dust, revealing a stunningly lifelike portrait of Queen Zelda and King Link. The two of them stood in front of the castle, in a field of blooming flowers. Both of them wore smiles on their faces, gazing into each other's eyes. 

As she stared at the picture, Zelda realized that she wanted this. She wanted this happiness. Wanted to live out the rest of her life with someone who she loved more than life itself. Was that really too much to want?

Link was staring at the photograph too. He had a strange expression on his face, a sort of melancholy happiness. Zelda realized that he, too, must want this… or at least something similar to this. 

A loud barking shattered the serenity of the quiet study. Twilight. Something was clearly wrong. Zelda and Link rushed out of the room into the library. Twilight was nowhere to be seen, but his barks and growls could be heard from a corridor on the second floor. The two of them rushed up the stairs, following the sound of the barking. Was Twilight in danger? Surely he could fend for himself… right? Zelda noticed something silver in Link’s hand; he had grabbed the sword off the table. 

They stumbled upon Twilight, who was fighting off a guard. It was clear that Twilight wasn’t fighting to kill, he was merely aiming to incapacitate the soldier. Link ran to Twilight’s side, in a protective stance. Together, they charged the poor guard, finally knocking him out with a swift blow to the head. 

Zelda grabbed Link’s hand in her own and led the way through the castle, taking him through several twists and turns. Their best hope was the Observatory. After all, hardly anyone except for her visited it anymore. Not to mention it was a good escape point. Maybe, just maybe, they could climb out, jump into the moat, and escape before the guard woke up. It was a stretch, but it was better than going to the areas more populated with soldiers and knights.

They finally arrived, panting, in the Observatory. Zelda slammed the door shut behind them, locking it. She turned back to Link, who had turned ghost pale. Zelda followed his gaze, up to the second level of the Observatory.

She was staring into the eyes of her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooh another cliffhanger. 
> 
> I'm kind of evil.


	10. Chapter 10

-=]I[=-

Link glanced around wildly, trying to find some sort of way out. There was an open balcony, but no way to tell how far the drop was. After all, he wasn’t about to risk Lana’s safety trying to escape the King. 

This wasn’t the first time he’d seen the king up close. Once before, during a knighting ceremony, they had come face to face. But this wasn’t the King he’d seen before. His kind eyes were narrowed in anger, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, and the once kindly expression was erased, replaced instead by one of fury. 

Link wasn’t the best in difficult situations, but he knew he had to do something. Drawing a blade would surely be illegal, but if he had to become a criminal in order to stop Gabon, so be it. But before he could speak, before he could do much as react, Lana stepped forward. 

“Father… forgive me.”

Wait… did she say… father? Suddenly, everything began to click together. Her familiar appearance. Her knowledge of the castle. Her previous lack of knowledge of the wild. Her refined accent and behaviorisms. And now, calling the King her father. It all made sense. He had been traveling with Princess Zelda. He turned towards her in bewilderment. 

“You’re… Princess Zelda?”

Lana- no, Zelda- turned towards him, tears sparkling in her emerald eyes. “Link, I… I didn’t mean…” she stopped, the tears spilling over. They ran down her face, finally dropping onto the floor. Link was tempted to run over and comfort her, but she had lied to him about… everything. Could he trust anything that came out of her mouth? Could he even trust those tears?

The king motioned to his guards. “Take the boy to the dungeon, and take Zelda to the throne room. I wish to speak with my daughter…”

Left with nothing but a sinking sense of betrayal, Link was roughly seized and dragged away into the depths of the castle. The air seemed foul down here, colder and mustier. Almost as if the remnants of the Calamity still hadn’t been removed. He was roughly thrown in a cell, and the door was locked. 

As the guards were walking away, Link recognized one of them. They had sparred together while training. Neither of them were particularly muscular, so naturally they were paired together almost every day. Yet Link’s superiority had moved him to another level. He probably resented Link for that. That was a long time ago… the memory seemed to be fading already. 

The door to the dungeon slammed shut, leaving Link alone with his thoughts. 

Zelda… he had been traveling with the princess the whole time?! No wonder she had looked so familiar, her face was all over the kingdom. He should have put the clues together. Her helplessness at first, her extensive knowledge of the castle. Everything had been blatantly obvious, and yet he still didn’t pick up on the clues that had been dancing in front of him. 

He ignored the tiny voice in his head, telling him that he had been purposely blocking out the facts. That he’d been so infatuated with her that he refused to admit that maybe she wasn’t as perfect as she appeared to be. Was he really that desperate? He had never gotten along well with anyone, much less someone so kind and inspiring. In truth, he admired the princess, despite her falsified identity. 

And to think… for a moment… he was almost falling in love with her. He couldn’t deny his feelings for the girl he rescued from the Yiga clan. But was Lana really the same person as Zelda? Or was her personally another lie, fabricated to protect her identity?

With nothing left to do, Link stared out the prison window, watching the rising moon. 

-]I[-

A deadly standoff. The warriors: a father and daughter. Their weapons: none but their own words. For a long time, Zelda stared into the eyes of her father, unsure what to say. Would he berate her? Punish her? Or worse, do harm to Link because of her actions? She couldn’t imagine what he was doing now, probably cursing her name as he struggled against cold iron shackles. 

Zelda tried to find her voice, find something to say, but the words stuck in her throat. A rising feeling of dread bubbled in her stomach, insinuating a sense of dread. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, as did the tips of her ears. She couldn’t meet the penetrating gaze of her father, worried that his eyes would bite straight through her. 

Her father motioned to the guards, silently commanding them to exit the Sanctum. They turned and left, in no small hurry to leave the room. Zelda longed to follow them; she couldn’t bear to spend any time alone with her father. She struggled to form a sentence, even a simple “I’m sorry” would suffice. But the cold atmosphere of the room took her very breath away, and she was forced to stand and wait. 

The king rose from his throne and began making slow, deliberate strides towards Zelda. She couldn’t help but hold her breath in anticipation as he made his way towards her. Her heart pounded against her ribs, so hard she thought it would jump right out of the rib cage. 

Her father stopped a few feet in front of her, stoic and silent. Zelda slowly raised her eyes to meet his, but couldn’t draw them past his chin. For a brief moment they stood there, neither of them daring to speak. Tears welled up in Zelda’s eyes and cling to her eyelashes, threatening to spill over. 

And then… her father did the one thing Zelda didn’t anticipate. He reached out his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. Zelda didn’t hesitate before returning it, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She stood there, wrapped in her father’s arms, clinging to him tightly. And for a brief moment, she felt all of her worries melting away, vanishing into the air, unnecessary and forgotten. 

“Father, I… I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize, Zelda. I’m just so relieved you’re safe.”

Safe. All at once, the world came crashing down again. She was a titan, bearing the sky upon her shoulders. Would she transfer the burden to another? Or would she stay silent, and allow the Goddess’s calling to remain a secret?

“Zelda… I should have told you…”

Zelda glanced up at her father, somewhat confused. “Told me..? About what, exactly?”

Her father sighed, taking her hand in his own. “About the return of Ganon.”

Ganon. The name hit her like a ton of bricks, rendering her wordless yet again. The word seemed to resound in the air, reverberating in a most ominous manner. Of course. It all made sense now. The crimson moons, the increase of monsters, Hylia’s desperate calling. The pieces of the puzzle were all coming together, leaving a finished product of despair. 

She had no choice. She had to tell her father about the messages. If he knew about the return, surely he wouldn’t bar her from her destiny?

But if he was so desperate to keep her safe… if he was willing to force her into marriage… would he allow her to risk her life because of a few dreams?

“Ganon is returning? Are you… are you sure?” The evidence was irrefutable, yet she still grasped for some sort of way to disprove it, to pass it off as a mere false alarm. Yet the twisting feeling in her gut wasn’t the hopeful kind. 

“We are positive.” Her father's grim voice echoed around the chamber, the statement lingering in the air. Zelda nodded her head, wise enough not to deny these findings. 

“Then I will do whatever I can to help prevent it.”

“No!” His tone was stern, but slightly laced with desperation. Zelda realized with a sinking feeling that her suspicions were correct: her father wasn’t willing to allow her to risk herself. Her mind raced for some sort of way around this, but her only thought was to sneak away again. But she would likely be under close surveillance, to ensure her “protection.” Still, there was no point in arguing, no point in wasting precious time. Zelda resigned herself to bowing her head. 

“Then I shall return to my room. I’ll do any research I can in Ganon. It’s the least I can do to assist you.”

Her father seemed to relax in relief, as if he had been tensing himself for an argument. Zelda felt a pang in her stomach, realizing that he was genuinely afraid for her. But she wasn’t going to stand idly by as Gabon’s return was on the horizon. She- and Link- both needed to complete their destinies. If the hand of fate had really chosen them, they wouldn’t turn her back on her destiny. 

Zelda hurried to her room, avoiding eye contact with the guards. The winding corridors and torchlit halls It was still dark outside; there was at least an hour before the sun rose. She had no time to waste… it was imperative she worked quickly. 

She needed to find some way out of the castle again, this time it was more likely to have heightened security as well. Not to mention… she couldn’t leave alone. Link played as big a part as her in this convoluted future of Hyrule’s, and he was most likely sitting in the dungeon, awaiting punishment. Sure, she could get away with running off, but she was the princess. The most they could do to her was a slight tap on the wrist. But Link… Link was different. He was a soldier, taught obedience from a young age. And… he was going against orders from the king. That alone was enough to land him in a cell for a few years at the least. 

The dungeon wasn’t difficult to reach, but breaking someone out? That was a suicide mission. Not to mention that that was a very serious offense. Running away was one thing, but she was planning a jailbreak. Even though she was the princess, she still couldn’t directly go against the law, especially one so severe. If she was caught, she was doomed.

Still… if she wasn’t caught… Link would be in even more trouble with the law. Was she really willing to doom him to that sort of punishment? It could double his sentence, leaving Hyrule mostly unguarded. If Link was doomed to rot in a cell, Hyrule was doomed as well. How was she going to explain that to her father without sounding completely insane?

And that was all assuming Link was willing to go with her. After everything she’d said… after everything she hadn’t said. Did he still trust her? And would he be willing to join her and defeat whatever horrors were awaiting Hyrule? Or would he turn his back on her, instead venturing out on his own, determined to take the oncoming challenges on his own.

Zelda traced her fingers over the sheikah slate, finally opening the map of Hyrule Castle. She carefully scanned the map, hoping to find some sort of clue or passage that could help her out. The dungeons were still titled “lockup” on the slate, which sounded better in her opinion. Lockup was directly underneath her study, but there were two problems. The first was the guards who had been stationed there, keen eyes scanning the tower for any… discrepancies. The second was the location… getting underground would be difficult, to say the least. She was confined to the passages leading into the dungeons.

She hoped Link was alright. She swore to herself that she would get him out, no matter the cost.

-]I[-

One can only stare at a cell door for a few hours before going insane. Link assessed the dungeons, hoping for some form of escape to present itself to him. Even without guards, the whole thing was locked up tighter than a drum… good for keeping criminals in, but bad for him. He had to save the world, for Hylia’s sake! 

Surely there was some sort of way out… a secret passage, perhaps? The cell wall looked like it was partially crumbling, but Link doubted anything short of a bomb could break through. 

And in the midst of all this confusion… where was Twilight? He had slipped away in the confusion, and Link hadn’t seen him since. Twilight was most likely 1) searching for some way to help Link, 2) bringing the books away from the castle and getting help or 3) raiding the dining room. Most likely three, if he was being honest with himself. Twilight was helpful at some points, but a lot of the time, he was surprisingly dog-like. Not even a wolf, but a dog.

Zelda. The mind wouldn’t stop racing through his mind. He had been traveling with Zelda. He had trained Zelda. He had nearly fallen in love with Zelda. It was the only thing he could think about, swallowing the rest of his thoughts like a tidal wave. He could hardly think straight. 

A while ago, he had hated her. Hated the concept of the Princess of Hyrule. She lived in luxury, untouched by the evils of the world. And then he was assigned to marry her. As if fate’s cruel hand had chosen him to toy with. 

So he left. It was treason, but he couldn’t be bound to that. He couldn’t sacrifice his freedom for something he hated. And if he ever married, he wanted to be like his mother, who had left her post as a knight of Hyrule and had married a farmer. He wanted to marry for love.

And then he had met “Lana.” He had been intrigued by the aura of mystery that surrounded her, but he had fallen for her spirit, her inquisitive mind, and her willingness to just have fun. In his eyes, she had been perfect.

In a way, she still was. But the lies she’d fabricated… he knew it was to protect her from her own destiny, but could he ever look at her the same?

He wondered what was happening to her. She had seemed terrified to face her father. He felt almost sorry for her. He was in jail, but at least the cells were a way to hide from what he’d done. She had to face it head on.

Despite his initial anger towards her, he hoped she was alright. Because somewhere… in the depths of his heart… he couldn’t deny with. He still loved her.

-]I[-

Zelda dressed herself for dinner, slowly and solemnly. It was a chore to dress herself in royal clothes again; she’d become accustomed to wearing her traveler’s clothes. It was incredibly tight, and she simply didn’t feel like herself anymore. She managed to style her hair into a sort of braided crown, with the ends still flowing down behind her pointed ears. She was somewhat nervous to see the reaction to what she’d done, but at least she had her father on her side. For now. 

The good thing about dresses is that one can hide all sorts of things under the long skirts. Including the Slate, a piton (not for stabbing, for climbing. She was an adventurer, not an assassin,) and a key she “obtained” from the guards that was able to unlock the cells in lockup. In truth, she’d gotten it from a bit of pickpocketing. The guard was drunk and asleep, he’d never even seen her enter the room, much less steal the key. Twilight was missing, but Zelda assumed he was with Link. The two were practically inseparable. 

How would Link react when he saw her? The thought raced through Zelda’s head, his face swimming in her mind. She missed him terribly, but what did he think of her now that she had been revealed? She had come so close to telling him in the Lost Woods. Surely it would have been easier on him if she had been the one to break the news. 

Yet she still had hope. Link had made it quite clear that he had secrets of his own. While he might not yet be willing to share them, perhaps he would forgive her for harboring her own secrets. 

Zelda’s footsteps echoed through the halls, clicking loudly as she walked. She wished it was a bit subtler, seeing as she was the disgrace of the kingdom after her little “adventure.” She wondered if her father had told his court the truth, or if he had covered up his daughter’s outburst. Hopefully the former; she didn’t need the nobility to scorn her any more than they already did. 

Some said that the court hated Zelda, and they wished that Hyrule had received a male heir. She laughed at this. Clearly they didn’t understand Hyrule’s system of royalty. Hylia’s blood presented itself in the form of the Princess, and the whole court revolved around the coronation of the Queen. It wouldn’t be long until Zelda’s coronation, actually. Her 21st birthday marked the day she officially became Queen of Hyrule. In truth, she dreaded the day. She was far more accustomed to her adventurous lifestyle, though it had only lasted a few weeks. 

Yet those few weeks had been the best of her life. Which is exactly why she intended to return to it. 

The dining hall was lit brightly, as per usual. Zelda walked slowly into the room, avoiding the piercing gaze of the others seated there. Zelda never understood why her father insisted on having his entire court at dinner. It made it so difficult to speak to him personally.

She took her seat to the right of her father. Chancellor Cole sneered at her as she sat down, but she paid little attention to him.

“Ah, yes. As you can see, Zelda has returned from her trip to Gerudo Town. Chief Afia told us she was a delight to host. Zelda, would you be so kind as to tell us about your trip?”

So he had covered for her. Zelda felt like embracing her father, and she felt a pit form in her stomach, knowing she was about to betray his trust yet again.

“Ah, yes. Gerudo town. Well, the desert is sweltering, but the town and Kara Kara Bazaar are perfectly fine. The food there is different as well… they eat a lot of hydrating food. I suppose it makes sense, living in the middle of the desert. Oh, and I saw a real Molduga, from a distance of course.”

Her father glanced at her, clearly impressed at her ability to lie. One of the perks to living with politicians is that you learn to lie as if it is a second language. Zelda picked up on it from an early age, which seemed somewhat alarming, but was usually perceived as natural.

“Thank you, Zelda. Now, King Sidon, what was it you were saying about the Diving Beast?”

“It seems to have reactivated. The last time it was operational, I was still just the prince of the Domain. I wonder what may have activated it.”

“The Sheikah towers have also emerged. Interesting. It appears the Sheikah are reawakening, or at least their technology is.” Zelda said, remembering her nights with Link under the Plateau Tower.

“What may have caused this, I wonder?” Sidon mused, looking down at his plate. Zelda and her father exchanged worried glances, and the King hurried to change the subject.

“Well, I just had an excellent trade deal with the Rito…” Zelda quickly stopped paying attention. Trade and finances were never something she took a particular interest in, and she instead focused on her plan.

She needed to get to the observatory, in order to climb down and make her way into Lockup. But to do that, she needed some sort of excuse to leave…

“Father, does it feel hot in here to you?” Zelda asked, feigning a worried expression. “I’m afraid I feel rather feverish.”

“Seems to be perfectly reasonable to me. Are you alright?”

Zelda’s heart pounded in her throat. No going back now. “I’m… I’m not sure…”

“You look ill, Princess.” Sidon was looking over at her, rather concerned.

“I think I’m fine…” Zelda allowed her voice to sound somewhat feeble. “Although I might…”

Zelda slumped herself into her chair, allowing her eyes to roll back. 

“Guard, bring my daughter to her room!” The King’s worried voice filled the room, and Zelda felt strong arms carefully lifting her out of her seat. Perfect.

They were out of the dining room. Zelda felt somewhat bad for what was about to occur, but Link needed her help. She wasn’t going to waste time giving it to him. Zelda reached towards her waist, grasping the Sheikah slate. Her fingers traced over the surface until she had selected the Stasis rune. She was thankful for the Hero of the Wild for upgrading it… now it was able to freeze living things as well as objects.

Carefully, she targeted the foot of the guard, doing her best to maintain the charade. She released the rune, and in a burst of golden light, the guard froze in his tracks, unable to move. Zelda leaped out of his arms and dashed down the corridor, taking the staircase to the observatory. The guards there were somewhat confused, but parted upon seeing the princess.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Zelda ran over to the balcony. Before the guards could react, she swung herself over the banister and began frantically climbing downwards, using the vines that crawled up the side of the castle for support. She was grateful she had brought the piton; she was able to make her own handholds using it, which was actually quite useful for scaling the wall quickly.

A few feet off the ground, Zelda allowed herself to drop. Her ankle twisted and it hurt like hell, but she forced herself to continue running, into the tunnels beneath Hyrule Castle. 

The Slate was a good map, and within minutes she had made it to Lockup. There weren’t any guards inside, which was somewhat alarming. Zelda made a mental note to tell her father to fix that, but it was convenient for the time being. 

Zelda scanned the cells, which were mostly empty. There was a black bokoblin in one, but it hardly counted as a prisoner. She glanced into a cell filled with massive bones, taking care not to wander inside. Rumor had it that the stalnox inside could still walk, and the knights used it as a test of skill. She didn’t even have a decent bow to shoot it with, and she doubted she could take a stalnox on even with a royal bow. 

One cell, however, wasn’t empty. A lone figure sat huddled inside, tucked against the wall. His features were unrecognizable, but Zelda could make out the familiar ponytail. It was Link.

-]I[-

Link was surprised when he heard the doors opening. He had expected his trial to be soon, but not this soon. He glanced outside one last time. A storm was heading towards the castle; Link could make out lightning flashes in those dark clouds. He glanced back towards the door, wondering who it was that had been sent to retrieve him. Maybe if he knew who it was, he might be able to talk his way out of this?

The figure came closer. With a jolt, Link realized that it wasn’t one of the guards… it was Zelda. She looked absolutely regal in a stunning green and gold gown, with her short hair braided along the top of her head. This must be how she usually looked, without her disguises. She really did look like a princess. 

“Link, I’m here to get you out of here.” Link noticed the key dangling from a chain, clutched tightly in Zelda’s hand. 

Link couldn’t even form words. It was a surprise, yes, but what was he going to say? Instead, he resigned himself to silence, following her as she led the way through the depths of Hyrule Castle. 

As they neared the docks once again, Link noticed Twilight waiting for them, a dark shape clutched in his fangs. Upon closer inspection, Link saw it was the journal they’d found before. Maybe this whole ordeal hadn’t been for nothing after all. 

They had the journal, and potentially the location of the Master Sword. But what was the cost?

-=]I[=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is it! The last chapter I've already written. I don't know how much linger it will be, but for now enjoy what I've given you. Don't worry, I have no thoughts of abandoning it. It'll just be a little while before the next chapter comes out, so sorry bout that.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I don't really have much to say other than I hope you enjoyed.


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